Coolant change
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 53,648
Likes: 878
From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
I do because not all fluid is drained thru petcock..
the video is adequate but is minimum method.
there is;
back flush
block drain
and multi vid method. refill with water after flush juice and run/drain.
regardless, the more distilled in verses tap water the better.
in the last steps.
so, drain, flush juice, tap water, drain, dist water, drain, coolant dist water.
the video is adequate but is minimum method.
there is;
back flush
block drain
and multi vid method. refill with water after flush juice and run/drain.
regardless, the more distilled in verses tap water the better.
in the last steps.
so, drain, flush juice, tap water, drain, dist water, drain, coolant dist water.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,809
From: Cool Northern Michigan
Get the front end up in the air. Ramps or even a couple 2 by 8s under the tires will help.
You want every last bubble in the entire cooling system to migrate forward and upward to the "open" radiator neck.
You want every last bubble in the entire cooling system to migrate forward and upward to the "open" radiator neck.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 213
Likes: 100
How about what coolant to use? Any recommendations for a base 350 in upstate NY?
Any validity to this stuff? https://www.evanscoolant.com/blog/mu...mance-coolant/
Any validity to this stuff? https://www.evanscoolant.com/blog/mu...mance-coolant/
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 44,629
Likes: 1,827
From: Huntsville AL
Go into any FLAPS and buy premixed green 50/50 antifreeze, no need to over think this.
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...tifreeze&pos=1
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...tifreeze&pos=1
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,809
From: Cool Northern Michigan
Tim,
There just has to be, a Wally World near you, I' m sure. Look for Prestone "pure" green concentrate. Get two jugs in the automotive section. Then onto to hardware for a big funnel. Then stroll over to groceries and get a jug or two of demineralized water. You can do all your mixing as you refill the Rad, just like a bartender. Simple.
Buying premix coolant is paying for half water. Why pay for water twice?
There just has to be, a Wally World near you, I' m sure. Look for Prestone "pure" green concentrate. Get two jugs in the automotive section. Then onto to hardware for a big funnel. Then stroll over to groceries and get a jug or two of demineralized water. You can do all your mixing as you refill the Rad, just like a bartender. Simple.
Buying premix coolant is paying for half water. Why pay for water twice?
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,117
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
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When I flushed mine I popped th cap and added the prestone flush and drove it for a few days, almost 100 miles. drained the block and the radiator...it was dark brown sludge. Repeated the process with just water and the prestone flush, drove it for a couple of days then drained it again...lighter brown sludge...Did it a third time and it came out almost clear....then I pulled the radiator and put a garden hose in the outlet with a rag for a seal and forced all the crud back out the inlet and it came out dark for a while and eventually went clear.....the car ran so much cooler after ward. I just filled it wilth the prestone 50 /50 mix because it was pretty cheap at the time...always used the green stuff
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 7,645
Likes: 2,464
From: Indiana
I wasn’t aware we needed to flush coolant on a c3?
- heater core leaks….gallon
- radiator leaks gallon
- thermostat …gallon
- next….
I’m on the change it enough plan to not flush..
- heater core leaks….gallon
- radiator leaks gallon
- thermostat …gallon
- next….
I’m on the change it enough plan to not flush..
Last edited by interpon; Apr 9, 2023 at 02:31 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 2,262
Likes: 1,982
From: MA/NH Seacoast
I usually pull the thermostat, disconnect the upper and lower hoses and run the garden hose through the engine until the water coming out is clear. Same with the radiator.
Dont over think it. I always buy the straight antifreeze and cut it 50/50 myself. You get two gallons from one for only a few dollars more. The pre mixed stuff isn't much cheaper, and you need to buy more of it.
Dont over think it. I always buy the straight antifreeze and cut it 50/50 myself. You get two gallons from one for only a few dollars more. The pre mixed stuff isn't much cheaper, and you need to buy more of it.
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,095
Likes: 4,022
From: New Braunfels Texas
Problem with the garden hose is you still have a quart on each side in the block.......
This is not possible with some well worn blocks but I always pull the block plugs out of the sides of the block.......drain it right out.......then replace with 1/4" petcocks on each side of the block.....
Down here in Texas......the tap water is just crazy with calcium due to the aquafer.....you do not want even a little bit of this left in the block.......other areas have heavy rust in the water.......
I always buy concentrate and jugs of distilled water too as I don't mix 50/50 here....more like 75/25 water/antifreeze.....
Jebby
This is not possible with some well worn blocks but I always pull the block plugs out of the sides of the block.......drain it right out.......then replace with 1/4" petcocks on each side of the block.....
Down here in Texas......the tap water is just crazy with calcium due to the aquafer.....you do not want even a little bit of this left in the block.......other areas have heavy rust in the water.......
I always buy concentrate and jugs of distilled water too as I don't mix 50/50 here....more like 75/25 water/antifreeze.....
Jebby
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,117
Likes: 9,247
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
My neck of the woods they add all sorts of weird chemicals to take out the arsenic and perchlorates as 2 examples. My Dad worked for the town and was talking to this shaby looking water debt guy carrying bottled water into the town hall. Dad asked him About the clothes and the guy said the chemicals he has to add at the pump stations did it. His new work boots were less than a month old and had holes eaten through them already
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 213
Likes: 100
Have not done the coolant change yet. But I just ran the car for the first time since winter. Ran great. Drove it for about an hour. Got on it a little. Came home and found a coolant puddle on the driveway from the overflow tank drain. Is that an indication that it just needs the flush and change or is it something else like the thermostat? Temp only hit around 205 while driving.