I drained my radiator today and was shocked!!! The coolent that came out was F~ing disgusting. It was rust color and chunky. I wasn't having any cooling problems or anything, but I'm sure my engine and W/Pump must be lined with rusty crap right now? I wanna flush the radiator and cooling system the best way possible. Any info would be helpfull. I wanna do the best I can to make sure This car is running cool all the time. Thanks Ya'll

 

just pull the 2 plugs on the side of the block. the pass side one is the knock sensor. then run a garden hose through the radiator and the thermostat hole going to the block.

 

After doing that, I would refill with water and Prestone Super Flush (or whatever brand flush you like), follow the instructions, then pull those plugs and keep flushing with water until nothing but clear water comes out. Then just make sure everything is clean (heater core, all hoses, the radiator itself), with a quick visual inspection and refill with coolant and water.

 

Personally, I would just take it to a shop and have a coolant flush done. They're not that much...like $60 [That's w/ the recommended Dexcool]. They used a large machine on mine that flushed it under high pressure, and it is normal for that rust crap to come out, especially if you don't change the coolant every 2-3 years.

Also, be sure they bleed the system to get the air out....there's 2 small brass screws, one is located near the gooseneck, the other, I believe is in the same area. I'm sure shoebox has some pic's of what I'm talking about.

 

hook a hose to your hot water heater to flush it with. then refill with purified water mix

 

I agree,
Pull the plugs.... It's the ONLY way to completely clean the system out.
The machines do NOT flush anything out of the block.
Instead, they flush a lot of to the block!!!

 

what about pullin the lower radiator hose and just hittin it with a hose untill it runs clear??

 

The thermostat will never open with that cool water from the hose. It won't flush the block out well. It'll do a great job with the radiator, but thats about it.

 

If you are going to do it yourself, you are pretty much going to have to remove the thermostat but it's easy. I saw something a long time ago that looked like such a good idea that I made one of my own. It was a device that mixed compressed air and water to flush out the block. I made one up out of PVC with a hose female on one side and a Milton air coupler on the other leading to two valves and Y'ing down to a single outlet. The combination of water and bubbles at 110 lb pressure sure helps blow all the junk out of the block. I usually do both the radiator and the block, separately.

 

The technician operating it told me that the machine heats up the coolant to 200 degress, which in turn opens the thermo.

 

[The technician operating it told me that the machine heats up the coolant to 200 degress, which in turn opens the thermo.]

My Father-in-Law sells the machines... and they do NOT get everything out of the block!!!

 

I never said they did, but does running your hose through it do it?

But really, it doesn't matter because in about 6 months, you'll have crap building up in there all over again. It doesn't have to be perfect. I've helped people change their coolant that don't take care of it all, [i.e. - Most women; that believe they only need to put gas in it and go.] and the coolant that came out looked like puke.

 

Your absolutely right!!!
But, I use de-mineral water... It does not produce as much sludge.

 

I heard getting the block plugs out are a PITA. I was going to have a place flush it, but now I am rethinking that if they don't get all the crap out of the block.