L98 Coolant question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
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L98 Coolant question
I've replaced my water pump and am now changing out the heater core, header tank, overflow tank, and hoses. I need to know how to purge the system of old fluid in order to keep that stuff from contaminating the new fluid mixture. Any ideas? Thanks.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,867
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From: Pasadena Maryland
I used a prestone flush and fill kit years ago. The main component is a TEE fitting that goes into one of the heater hoses and allows you to hook your garden hose up to the coolant system. Running the engine with the garden hose on will flush out teh entire system. If you are replacing everything alse take out the thermostat while flushing and install a new one when you are done.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
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I used a prestone flush and fill kit years ago. The main component is a TEE fitting that goes into one of the heater hoses and allows you to hook your garden hose up to the coolant system. Running the engine with the garden hose on will flush out teh entire system. If you are replacing everything alse take out the thermostat while flushing and install a new one when you are done.
Replaced the t-stat about 500 miles before the water pump started leaking. Thanks for the suggestion. This is a car that was only driven about 200 miles per year until I bought it in July so I'm bracing for lots of things.
It's got electronic air so, yes, I'll turn it on and bump the temp up to max. Thanks for the reminder.
I'll snag a fill/bleed kit somewhere this weekend. Thanks again for the help.
Replaced the t-stat about 500 miles before the water pump started leaking. Thanks for the suggestion. This is a car that was only driven about 200 miles per year until I bought it in July so I'm bracing for lots of things.
Originally Posted by Morley
If your car has the heater control valve you'll need to flush it with the heater on and with the A/C on.
I'll snag a fill/bleed kit somewhere this weekend. Thanks again for the help.
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 525
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From: San Antonio TX
I have had bad luck with the prestone TEE. When my camaro had overheating issues, the cap on the TEE popped off twice. Then I had coolant spewing all over the place which made a bad situation worse. 
It wasn't even that overheated because I would shut off my engine if it got too hot.
Now when I want to flush the system of any car, I install the tee, flush, then replace tee with new hose. I will never leave that TEE in my system again.
It wasn't even that overheated because I would shut off my engine if it got too hot.Now when I want to flush the system of any car, I install the tee, flush, then replace tee with new hose. I will never leave that TEE in my system again.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
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Originally Posted by kalister1
Good thinking, he is replaceing all hoses. My thought was to cut the old hose to install the tee then install all new hoses.
The heater hoses for this bad boy are discontinued. After two months of looking for hoses, I found them but at a cost of $141.00 and about $100.00 for the other of the two long molded hoses. That's not to mention the other 6 cheap (< $20.00). Sooooo....I don't want to cut any of these expensive and ultra rare hoses. I do think I can tee between the heater out and heater bypass tee that's part of the oil cooler supply route. I only mention this because of the difficulty that I've had obtaining new hoses and in the hope that this will save someone else a little heartburn.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
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I just re-read your post, kalister 1. What you suggest makes sense in terms of using (cutting) one of the old hoses to bleed the system. I've got the rh wheel well liners out so I've got plenty of access to the hoses now. Should work okay.
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Team Owner
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From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
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Originally Posted by AILERON
This is a car that was only driven about 200 miles per year until I bought it in July so I'm bracing for lots of things.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego, Ca
I'd change the radiator too or have a shop rod it out -
To drain the block, pull the oil cooler hose at the filter and if you want, the knock sensor on the other side.
Didn't know the heater hoses were out of production - thought I saw them at The Last Detail or one of the other vendors the last time I was poking around.
To drain the block, pull the oil cooler hose at the filter and if you want, the knock sensor on the other side.
Didn't know the heater hoses were out of production - thought I saw them at The Last Detail or one of the other vendors the last time I was poking around.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: St. Charles, MO Route 66 Corvette Club
Aileron: You mentioned you have changed out the water pump and heater core. I assume you have drained the radiator....right? If you have done all this and you are draining the coolant reservoir tank, all you need to do is to remove the knock sensor (on passenger side of engine block) and the rubber hose (on drivers side) and this will completely drain the block. You should have all the coolant out of the system by doing all of this! I recommed you drill two small holes in the body of the thermostat (1/16 inch) in order to allow the trapped air to escape as you refill the system.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
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Originally Posted by SunCr
I'd change the radiator too or have a shop rod it out -
To drain the block, pull the oil cooler hose at the filter and if you want, the knock sensor on the other side.
Didn't know the heater hoses were out of production - thought I saw them at The Last Detail or one of the other vendors the last time I was poking around.
To drain the block, pull the oil cooler hose at the filter and if you want, the knock sensor on the other side.
Didn't know the heater hoses were out of production - thought I saw them at The Last Detail or one of the other vendors the last time I was poking around.
I have the new oil cooler hoses but the reason that I haven't pulled them is that I'm worried the oil cooler nipple will be pitted like the heater bypass tee and water pump nipple were. A new water jacket (oil filter adapter) is over 300 cookies IF you can find one. (Never ends, does it?)
BTW, neither Last Detail nor Art's Parts have those heater/oil cooler hoses. County Corvette (Denny) found them for me. Took two months of looking to snag them. (Forget about the biggies like Eckler's, MAM, Corvette America, Corvette Central, and Zip, Volunteer, etc, etc. Tried 'em all.)
Very grateful for your input - hope that didn't get lost in the little discourse above.
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Burning Brakes
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Originally Posted by Sam Lam
Aileron: You mentioned you have changed out the water pump and heater core. I assume you have drained the radiator....right? If you have done all this and you are draining the coolant reservoir tank, all you need to do is to remove the knock sensor (on passenger side of engine block) and the rubber hose (on drivers side) and this will completely drain the block. You should have all the coolant out of the system by doing all of this! I recommed you drill two small holes in the body of the thermostat (1/16 inch) in order to allow the trapped air to escape as you refill the system.
