So I'm getting ready to walk outside right now and flush my radiator. I have seen shoebox's way, and read a couple other ways to flush the system, but I want to nail the entire system well and get the heater core while I'm at it. Sooooooo:


I don't have jack stands with me, so I can't get out the knock sensor, but is it okay to use a flush kit with flushing T and cutting the heater hose? Or is that too "improper?" Here's the tutorial I want to use: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lzwh-...eature=related

And also, if I don't remove the thermostat, will the cold water still get to the engine? I also plan on using the Prestone flushing chemical.

I want to start this in the next 30 minutes so I can be done by dinner, haha. Any answers?

 

Get some jackstands? How do you plan on getting a bucket under the radiator?

 

Haha, you have a good point, actually. I was going to get creative. But what I am more interested in is whether the technique I posted (see above) is safe for this engine. Although I'll admit shoebox's way is probably easier after looking at the heater hoses. But yeah, more interested in answers to what I asked above.

 

I just finished a head gasket repair. I could not get my knock sensor or drain plug out. We tried for a few hours with every tool/extension imaginable, just could not get either one to turn after multiple pb blaster applications, etc. To avoid damaging the knock sensor and risking not being able to replace it, we said to hell with it and did it this way. I just kept the thermostat out so there was no obstruction in the system (you can take yours out, takes 5 minutes, literally). Then I used the prestone flush kit but I DID NOT cut my factory hoses. I didn't want that plastic tee in my car permanently, because the inner diameter of the tee is quite a bit smaller than the hose you're cutting, the last thing we need in these cars is restriction in the cooling system, lol. So I used an old hose. I hooked the old hose to the radiator, then to one side of the tee. I then hooked the other side of the tee to the host taken off the radiator. Then I flushed it for 10 minutes (kit says 5, but mine didn't start running clear until about 6, I let it go for ten). When I was done, I just unhooked the tee from my top hose, unhooked the old hose from the radiator, put the original hose back in place, the thermostat in, and drained the system as much as possible from the radiator. I also used a $10 hand pump (siphon style) to get as much water out of the block as I could. Using this method you will still have straight water in the bottom of the block, but not much. Use a $2 anti-freeze tester to verify your mix, you may have to let it run/mix a few times and drain a gallon or so, replace w/straight anti-freeze to get the right mix but it's like $5 wasted antifreeze. This is definately not a from the book type of procedure (before anyone mentions that) but I had to do it this way in the situation I was in. Hope this helps.

 

Z0s0:

Genius! I'll do that if I can't get the knock sensor out. But yeah, I really didn't want that on my car permanently. Thanks for the advice!

 

Oh yes, and one more question.... With ShoeBoxes method, there is no need to turn on the engine, correct?