Replacing Coolant LT-1 - Tips?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,150
Likes: 6
From: NS
Replacing Coolant LT-1 - Tips?
Ok, it's time I replaced my coolant. The service manual documents a fairly intensive procedure. The part I don't like is removing the knock sensors. These suckers are in a hard spot to get to and aren't too cheap if I happen to break one. They also say to drain it, fill with water, warm the engine up to open T-stat, then drain and repeat until clear. This sounds like it should take a couple of days!! There must be a better way...maybe not?
Question - The manual says use 7.7L of coolant, then top up with water. They imply a 50/50 mix. So do these suckers hold 15.4L (4 US gallons)?? That's more than my GMC K1500 4x4!!
Question - My surge tank has a bunch of brown slimy stuff at the bottom. I've been told this is the "sealant pellet" residue. I plan to clean this out. The service manual says use 6 pellets after replacing the coolant, but I think a service bulletin was released saying to discontinue this. Does anyone know what the service bulletin # is?
Any tips for this job?
Thanks
Question - The manual says use 7.7L of coolant, then top up with water. They imply a 50/50 mix. So do these suckers hold 15.4L (4 US gallons)?? That's more than my GMC K1500 4x4!!
Question - My surge tank has a bunch of brown slimy stuff at the bottom. I've been told this is the "sealant pellet" residue. I plan to clean this out. The service manual says use 6 pellets after replacing the coolant, but I think a service bulletin was released saying to discontinue this. Does anyone know what the service bulletin # is?
Any tips for this job?
Thanks
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 628
Likes: 6
I changed the coolant on mine recently. Had to do the whole thing - radiator + knock sensors.. don't forget to release the bleed valves at the top of the engine (close to throttle body etc.).
I needed a proper 6-point socket rather than a star socket to get the Knock sensors out.
Here's a link that was helpful to me
LT-1 Coolant Change
Whole process only took about 90 minutes.
I needed a proper 6-point socket rather than a star socket to get the Knock sensors out.
Here's a link that was helpful to me
LT-1 Coolant Change
Whole process only took about 90 minutes.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,236
Likes: 355
From: Albuquerque, NM
When reinstalling the knock sensors do NOT use sealant, and do not get them too tight. They're only tightened to about 17 ft/lbs. If you get them too tight you can get a false knock signal. When I changed my coolant I marked the position of the knock sensors before I removed them so I knew how much to tighten them when I put them back. You can almost tighten them by hand.
The whole procedure isn't that bad. I used a radiator flush solution that seemed to work well. I didn't use the pellets, and I believe the consensus on here is to not use them. Now is also a good time to check your radiator hoses and replace them if they're very old or show any signs of deterioration.
The whole procedure isn't that bad. I used a radiator flush solution that seemed to work well. I didn't use the pellets, and I believe the consensus on here is to not use them. Now is also a good time to check your radiator hoses and replace them if they're very old or show any signs of deterioration.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 1
From: prescott AZ
I decided that to replace the coolant I will just cut the lower radiator hose off and replace it. I put the car on a slight angle with the rear higher and got all the coolant out that way. I put the new hose on loosely and fill the system with distilled water then removed the hose, drained it and put the hose on for good (until 2 more years and and maybe only 6k miles more).
I am using the new G06 coolant which is supposed to mix with the green or dex and has a better additive package than Dex or green. It has been a year now and I am amazed at how clear and clean the coolant looks. It looks exactly as clean as compared to unused 50/50 coolant.
Still have to bleed it though. I put some paper towels over the radiator neck, open the bleed screw (one on my 95) and blow into the radiator neck until the coolant starts to come out of the bleed screw fitting and then tighten the screw. Get no low coolant warning this way. Do not forget to wrap the area under the bleed screw with paper towels, etc to protect the Opti.
I am using the new G06 coolant which is supposed to mix with the green or dex and has a better additive package than Dex or green. It has been a year now and I am amazed at how clear and clean the coolant looks. It looks exactly as clean as compared to unused 50/50 coolant.
Still have to bleed it though. I put some paper towels over the radiator neck, open the bleed screw (one on my 95) and blow into the radiator neck until the coolant starts to come out of the bleed screw fitting and then tighten the screw. Get no low coolant warning this way. Do not forget to wrap the area under the bleed screw with paper towels, etc to protect the Opti.
