Over 1M Posts • 84K Topics • 9K Authors

Home > Topic #49917

Draining radiator - 6G Celicas Forums

Topic #49917 27 posts Started by njccmd2002
njccmd2002
#1
My radiator fluid is trash, i need to replace. What is the best way to do it. Should the car be cold. hot. Running, off. I need to flush all the water of my car...
Learned a lot in 10 years...I hardly log in anymore, last loginToday Sept 6 2019, and I was forced just to clarify a post. LOLIf you PM me and I dont respond, dont fret or cry. Im alive, better post your questions in the thread below, maybe I log back in2grfe Swapped...Why I chose the 2GR, before you ask read here...A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.@llamaraxing in Instagram is the best way to find me. I hardly log here anymore.
x_itchy_b_x
#2
theres a drain plug on the bottom passenger side of the radiator undo that and let it all drain. then when you think its all done draining squeeze the top rubber coolant hose and more coolant should come out. that about it. Temp doesnt matter, id rather do it with cool coolant than boiling hot coolant smile.gif
Visit My Automotive & Tech Blog.
6strngs
#3
I did it while the car is cool. there is just this little plastic wing thing on the bottom of the radiator on the passenger side. just unscrew that (I think it can be done with just your fingers) and it'll all pour out. afterwards, I took a garden hose and sprayed through the radiator cap until nothing but water came out the bottom (no coolant). then just put the drain plug back in, empty out the overflow tank (a couple bolts hold it in place), then fill both the radiator and overflow tank to full. start the car with the radiator cap off and the level should drop in the radiator. wait a minute, shut the car off, then fill it again, then squeeze the upper radiator hose and bubbles should come out, then the level should be lower again so you fill it back to the top again and then you're done.

This post has been edited by 6strngs: Jul 6, 2007 - 6:22 PM
94 GT - Sold -------- 69 Pontiac Lemans - Sold88 Alltrac - Sold ---- 04 WRX - Sold00 GT-S - Sold ------ 91 Miata - project/drift car95 GT - Sold -------- 96 GT - New Daily Drive
NaderG
#4
i want to do the same thing , how many quarts of coolant are in there ?? and where should i dispose the old collant ??
6strngs
#5
>
QUOTE(NaderG @ Jul 9, 2007 - 1:00 PM) [snapback]576519[/snapback]
>
i want to do the same thing , how many quarts of coolant are in there ?? and where should i dispose the old collant ??

I went out and bought 2 gallons of the pre-mixed stuff and ended up using 1 and a half or so. A local recycling center would probably take the old coolant, and I've heard that fire stations take it too. You should call first though.
94 GT - Sold -------- 69 Pontiac Lemans - Sold88 Alltrac - Sold ---- 04 WRX - Sold00 GT-S - Sold ------ 91 Miata - project/drift car95 GT - Sold -------- 96 GT - New Daily Drive
NaderG
#6
>
QUOTE(6strngs @ Jul 9, 2007 - 11:26 PM) [snapback]576595[/snapback]
>
>
QUOTE(NaderG @ Jul 9, 2007 - 1:00 PM) [snapback]576519[/snapback]
>
i want to do the same thing , how many quarts of coolant are in there ?? and where should i dispose the old collant ??

I went out and bought 2 gallons of the pre-mixed stuff and ended up using 1 and a half or so. A local recycling center would probably take the old coolant, and I've heard that fire stations take it too. You should call first though.


any suggestion for collecting the drained coolant ? ( my catch pan is too small )
6strngs
#7
>
QUOTE(NaderG @ Jul 9, 2007 - 4:30 PM) [snapback]576598[/snapback]
>
>
QUOTE(6strngs @ Jul 9, 2007 - 11:26 PM) [snapback]576595[/snapback]
>
>
QUOTE(NaderG @ Jul 9, 2007 - 1:00 PM) [snapback]576519[/snapback]
>
i want to do the same thing , how many quarts of coolant are in there ?? and where should i dispose the old collant ??

I went out and bought 2 gallons of the pre-mixed stuff and ended up using 1 and a half or so. A local recycling center would probably take the old coolant, and I've heard that fire stations take it too. You should call first though.


any suggestion for collecting the drained coolant ? ( my catch pan is too small )

I got a car-wash bucket at Kragen for less than $5
94 GT - Sold -------- 69 Pontiac Lemans - Sold88 Alltrac - Sold ---- 04 WRX - Sold00 GT-S - Sold ------ 91 Miata - project/drift car95 GT - Sold -------- 96 GT - New Daily Drive
NaderG
#8
i looked at buckets and they are a bit huge , i dont think i can lift the car ( or just the front ) all the way above the bucket , also how am i supposed to take the bucket to a recycling center ??!
celiracer
#9
If you have an oil drain pan thats medium size you should be able to fit it all in there. Thats what i used when i changed out my radiator.
DeW_H0e_GT
#10
i read about somethin on the 5gc chiltons about a drain plug/bolt on the 5s block that releases water...can any1 confirm this if it applies to our 5sfe???
6strngs
#11
>
QUOTE(DeW_H0e_GT @ Jul 11, 2007 - 1:09 AM) [snapback]577247[/snapback]
>
i read about somethin on the 5gc chiltons about a drain plug/bolt on the 5s block that releases water...can any1 confirm this if it applies to our 5sfe???

I read this in my hayne's manual too. but I couldn't find the plug...
94 GT - Sold -------- 69 Pontiac Lemans - Sold88 Alltrac - Sold ---- 04 WRX - Sold00 GT-S - Sold ------ 91 Miata - project/drift car95 GT - Sold -------- 96 GT - New Daily Drive
NaderG
#12
>
QUOTE(celiracer @ Jul 11, 2007 - 5:41 AM) [snapback]577220[/snapback]
>
If you have an oil drain pan thats medium size you should be able to fit it all in there. Thats what i used when i changed out my radiator.


my catch pan is 15 quarts .... i think thats enough

This post has been edited by NaderG: Jul 11, 2007 - 3:15 PM
SlowCelica94
#13
The garden hose is a great idea but runs inpurityies thro the cooling system which will lead to corrison.

The absolute best way to do it to take the car to a shop with a Wynn's cooling system flusher. No mesh and all clean coolant and water ran thro the system
NASA/SCCA RX-7....currently under the knife92 Civic hatch B16 - Sold10th anniv RX-7 - RIPThe Slow Celica - Sold...and then crushed crushed due to street racing.Quote from Seinfeild: George's Boss reading a magazine: "People magazine's most beautiful people. Oh and a Celica...nothin wrong with that!"
NaderG
#14
>
QUOTE(SlowCelica94 @ Jul 12, 2007 - 6:16 AM) [snapback]577679[/snapback]
>
The garden hose is a great idea but runs inpurityies thro the cooling system which will lead to corrison.

The absolute best way to do it to take the car to a shop with a Wynn's cooling system flusher. No mesh and all clean coolant and water ran thro the system


ture, but it costs arround 80 $ .... a bit too much for my budget
njccmd2002
#15
go to a carwash, get yourself an extra gallon, when youre done draining let half a gallon under pressure, though a hose, to clean anything, o maybe more. Ive seen this done befre, thats what im planning on doing, unless its ilegal to do it in a carwash. anybody knows?
Learned a lot in 10 years...I hardly log in anymore, last loginToday Sept 6 2019, and I was forced just to clarify a post. LOLIf you PM me and I dont respond, dont fret or cry. Im alive, better post your questions in the thread below, maybe I log back in2grfe Swapped...Why I chose the 2GR, before you ask read here...A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.@llamaraxing in Instagram is the best way to find me. I hardly log here anymore.
NaderG
#16
>
QUOTE(njccmd2002 @ Jul 13, 2007 - 12:02 AM) [snapback]577983[/snapback]
>
go to a carwash, get yourself an extra gallon, when youre done draining let half a gallon under pressure, though a hose, to clean anything, o maybe more. Ive seen this done befre, thats what im planning on doing, unless its ilegal to do it in a carwash. anybody knows?


i think it would be illegal , antifreeze is extremely toxic and needs to be handeled by authorized recycling centers
SlowCelica94
#17
>
QUOTE(njccmd2002 @ Jul 13, 2007 - 12:02 AM) [snapback]577983[/snapback]
>
go to a carwash, get yourself an extra gallon, when youre done draining let half a gallon under pressure, though a hose, to clean anything, o maybe more. Ive seen this done befre, thats what im planning on doing, unless its ilegal to do it in a carwash. anybody knows?

No offence, but this is a horrible idea. Not only is it very illegal, it's not mechanical smart.
NASA/SCCA RX-7....currently under the knife92 Civic hatch B16 - Sold10th anniv RX-7 - RIPThe Slow Celica - Sold...and then crushed crushed due to street racing.Quote from Seinfeild: George's Boss reading a magazine: "People magazine's most beautiful people. Oh and a Celica...nothin wrong with that!"
njccmd2002
#18
ok, thanks for the advice. Guess ill recycle....
Learned a lot in 10 years...I hardly log in anymore, last loginToday Sept 6 2019, and I was forced just to clarify a post. LOLIf you PM me and I dont respond, dont fret or cry. Im alive, better post your questions in the thread below, maybe I log back in2grfe Swapped...Why I chose the 2GR, before you ask read here...A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.@llamaraxing in Instagram is the best way to find me. I hardly log here anymore.
Komail
#19
Ok, so I just flushed the fluid in my ST and it took like under a gallon to fill it back up...what did I do wrong? engine still feels hott...
presure2
#20
did you drain all the coolant out of the engine? hoses?
or did you just loosen the drain plug?
Former Team 5SFTE pro member ;)13.6@108MPH, 5SFTE Powered
Komail
#21
z

This post has been edited by Komail: Sep 29, 2015 - 11:51 PM
frosty
#23
Yeah, it definitely sounds like you got air in your system. Did the motor in the 10 min. run get to its normal operating temp? (should have) That will be when the thermostat starts circulating the fluid. Check the radiator after doing this since more than likely you will have to fill it some more. (may have to do this twice).


And what do you mean when you said the motor still feels hot? Is your guage in your car showing it to overheat? (I mean motors get hot, that's why the heat shield has a don't touch sign tongue.gif )
CLOSED on 25 acres!-shop coming soon....
Komail
#24
gone

This post has been edited by Komail: Sep 29, 2015 - 11:50 PM
GriffGirl
#25
Maybe take out the thermostat and make sure it isn't sticking? Also, I agree that you've either got air in the radiator or you didn't drain all the coolant out, it should've taken more coolant/water than that.
frosty
#26
Yeah, my celi's temp guage started to drop just under it's standard for a few months then all of a suden it went HOT!

Thermostat went out.

Make sure that if you have to get a new thermostat that you take in your old one to the parts store. When I got mine it looked larger than the one I took out. Turned out that the one they gave me was a misprint in there books and the company they ordered from, had the 5s swaped with the 7a's.
CLOSED on 25 acres!-shop coming soon....
zachattack15
#27
Filling it up without the car is not enough coolant. You need to fill it to the top. Then run the car and fill it some more. At my shop we use these yellow funnel looking things that hold water until the radiator is done sucking. The coolant hoses have to open up and get the air out of the system to let water into the motor. I'm typing from my phone at work so if this seems difficult to read the sorry ill come fix it later.
← Back to Topics