where is the drain plu for a radiator on an 2004 coupe, I got the car jacked up, and ready to drain, I have only found a white plastic plug, that turns 1/4 turn, but then it does nothing else, it has a square opening pryed on it a bit, but I do not want to break the damn thing. Help please??

already got the coolant on hand, new thermostat, I have worked on cars but I hate these damn plastic ***** used to be a simple valve to turn on and off, now well help??

thanks

James

 

Gently pull it out with some needlenose plyers.

 

also there is a small plastic fitting underneath, that look like a drain hole, but nothing is coming out of it either??

I have pulled pretty hard on the white thing with the square hole, a 1/4 drive extention works in it, it appears that after the 1/4 turn it should be open and fluid should be draining however nothing is coming out??

help please

 

1/4 turn then gently pull out just a little and it should start draining from below.

Mine ended up breaking on me which was fine as the replacements at napa are something like $6

 

now I got it down trying to fill it back, tried to over heat, acts like its empty but the over flow tank does not seem to be helping in the filling back up p[art?/

anywhere else to put in new fluid?? no radiator cap that I can see anywhere??

 

Been burping the damn thing for over 2 hours, cannot tell if it is full, I warm it up, and it boils over???

used 2 gallons of coolant so far, am sure some of what i poured in, has come back out??

alot came out as I suspected when I broke the thermostat loose it has been changed the old one did not =seem to open up when it was suppose too. hows this did not open up at 190 degrees, but came open past that mark the thermometer did not read past that??

letting it cool off again, will go back out in a bit and probably put some more coolant back in?? so how can you tell its full, if there is no radiator cap to look down into and watch it circulate as the thermostat opens and closes?? i know I am old school but that seems like alot better system then this damn one/

Any more help would be greatly appreciated??

 

Try this (Thx Patches for the procedure)
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...tml?forum_id=1

 

it got up to 245, I turned it off letting it cool down once again. will see if it still needs coolant,

another question not sure why, but earlier both fans were coming on, now it seems as though only one at 235??

I pulled both fuses they are not blown, it initially had codes but I have cleared them will check codes again when I start it up this time in a few minutes after seeing if it needs anything once it gets cool enough for me to loosen the radiator overflow tank cap?/

weird

thanks

 

its 130 am,

do need some sleep have to work tommorrow,

any thoughts, I got brave enough to drive it around the block, warmed up, then cooled off, acts like it has a big bubble inside, definitely circulating as the radiator hoses are both hot, getting ready to go outside to do one final burp and if needs be add more coolant, may have to go buy another jug on my way home just about out of the 3 gallons I had on hand to do this job.

ANy thought, one fan is definitely coming, not sure about the low temp fan, thermostat seems to be working as it is circulating, warms up but running too hot.

will post up more tommorrow.

Not sure what I am doing wrong following patches directions, cap off warm up, rev motor, cap on wait till it reaches 210-216 turn off, remove cap start over again??

thanks for the posts if anyone has any other ideas let me know I definitely do not like this type of cooling system.

 

TTT for the morning crew

 

^+1 ..any update?

Maybe try this..
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...ant-lines.html

 

You don't really have to BURP s C5 (that's why they didn't add an opening facility like other GM's)-fill to the line cold-drive a while and fill as needed after that. If your overheating YOU HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS! Do a pressure test FIRST, then check fans.

 

where are the fan relays, and or sensors??

I think that maybe my low temp cooling fan may not be coming on, I will jack it up tonight when I get home, and check the connection??

apparently on C6's they have a wire melting problem with their fan harnesses anyone seen this on C5's.

thanks

BTW what s a pressure test?? it is holding pressure when its warm and I take the cap off it releases hot air??

 

I think that's what he's doing already... I posted that procedure in one of his TWO other active threads on this.

In this thread you're trying to drain the coolant. May not be a bad idea since in this thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...t-2-hours.html you've stated you're on your third gallon. The coolant capacity for the C5 is around 3 gallons. You've almost definitely overfilled it.

Also, you had an overheating issue before you started any of this. See this thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...emp-issue.html Please do the following before you go any further

1. Throw your original thermostat in a pot of boiling water to verify that a stuck thermostat was your issue.

2. If it is stuck drain your cooling system a bit (as it is almost definitely overfilled) then follow patches procedures to refill. There IS a full line on the coolant reservoir. Wipe off the clear part of the tank so you can see it better. Simple green on a rag works well for this.

3. If it opens and operates normally than you replaced your thermostat for no reason and whatever was causing your overheating issue initially could still be the problem. Verify that your fans are working properly and clean any obstructions from between your condenser and radiator.

 

I sent a detailed description to the other post, I was trying to cut and paste to this one, but my work computer is not the most highspeed, alot of security requirements at work.

I put the thermostat back in the way the old one came out, it has a key notch meaning a tab to insure it goes in a certain way on the rubber gasket. everything I know about thermostats is you put the coil side of a thermostat in the block portion when it gets hot it engages and opens up.

The old thermostat did not open at 197, it opened somewhere between 200-220 so it was probably going bad.

will hit it again tonight wish me luck again thanks for the info, I am fairly capable and know what I call a little about alot of things. But this is making me go Hmm. will post up some more info and possible requests for info as I do not currently have a shop manuals for the car. they are on my list of things to buy.

Reason for my urgency, was I have vacation coming up in a week and half and was planning on making the NCM and factory tour with the car. So now I am having problems only saving grace is it not happening on the actual trip.

again thanks for the responses

 

here is the other post that I sent out:

again thanks for the help.

was not expecting immediate help, just some help and I have gotten alot of posts.

I did my home work, I sought advice prior to choosing to do this, followed directions from patches.

I may indeed have another problem it may be my fan low temp not coming on or being intermitent.

I was under the car last night for about 2.5 hours, disconnected the fan schroud, to verify no cap and there is not?? also no obstructions.

The white plug underneath turns just fine, but nothing came out. It boiled over several times, and I bought 3 gallons fo fluid based on the parts clerk looking up the capacity of 12.4 quarts.

I lost alot of fluid when I removed the thermostat, both from the block side and the hose/radiator side.

tonight I will be looking again underneath, at the fan connections, I was asking earlier about fan sensors and relays any help there would be appreciated. I posted similar post in the tech section in hopes of getting different information.

I am aware of the fill line, found it after looking at the resivor from the drivers side did not see one, found it when looking from the front of the car.


By the way not sure what would cause the drain plug to not function but radiators get gunked up, and cause overheating and or running hot issues. I recently dealt with this problem on a different vehicle mind you it had 106 K miles on it. however in my negelct of the car not intentional I have not changed the fluid since owning it. Just did not think about it. I have owned it since 23.5 k miles, and it is now pushing 57K miles. It is possible it could be gunked up. adding to my problem?? Other thought would be that when I broke the thermostat loose, from the radiator and block side that the radiator might have been drained to begin with I can test that tonight since I know there is fluid in there now??

ya'll take care

thanks

 

Trying to figure why your radiator might be blocked.

For one thing, its not "way way" too long on the fluid that was in there. Some people go a lot longer without a problem.

What color was the fluid that was in the car when you got it? Did it look red like the dex cool stuff? Only reason I ask is that there were some problems with mixing the green stuff with the red stuff (which as I recall they say is not the case any more, I still use the dex cool but the new green stuff says no problem mixing with dex cool). Just mentioning it because if you've looked at the fins on the outside, and they're clear and you feel it circulating, it may be clogged inside. Just a thought.

 

for a night, drove it around today in 100 degree heat, and she ran fine, no overheating isseus, the color was red like dex cool. life is good again, hate it when she acts up.

I will post up if something comes up over the next week, wish me luck really want to take her to the NCM and bowling green kentucky for the factory tour and museum.

thanks again corvette forum you make owning the car a wonderful thing

 

Glad you got it running

The members here can be a lifesaver