[Z06] '12 Z06 radiator drain/flush: radiator capacity?
05-01-2017, 11:12 AM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
'12 Z06 radiator drain/flush: radiator capacity?
I just passed the five year birthday of my '12 Z06 and I want to drain/flush my coolant. 
I'll be using the procedure (below) that I found in another thread (thanks again!) to drain and flush as much of the old coolant as I can.
1) Step 4 says to repeat until the drained fluid comes out clear, and that got me wondering how much of the total 11.9qt coolant capacity is actually in the radiator? (i.e. what is the capacity of the OE Z06 radiator in 2012?)
2) How long should I wait after the engine gets warm and the thermostat opens to add more water so that I can get it to drain clear? (I don't want to add cool water to a warm block.)
Bob Dearborn’s Radiator Flush Procedure.
You need to open the drain plug on the passenger side bottom of the radiator and you will need a bucket to catch the drained fluid. You also need to remove the cap on the coolant reservoir.
1. Drain the coolant & close the drain.
2. Refill with water from hose (despite what some say about distilled water it only needs to be drinkable water),
3. Run the engine until the thermostat opens (can tell by feeling upper radiator hose)
4. Shut off engine and drain coolant again. Repeat until the drained fluid runs clear (this gets the old coolant out of the engine block and heater).
5. Once the drained fluid is clear, close the drain for the final time and add exactly half the coolant system capacity in straight Dexcool (orange) and then top off with water until full.
6. Once the system is full reinstall the cap and let the engine get hot. Rev it to 2500 or so a few times to burp out any air bubbles and when it is at temp turn off and let cool.
7. Once cool check coolant level and top off with water as required.
Do not use the 50% mix coolant found at autoparts stores as this method gets you a 50% mix. The premix 50% coolant is only useful if you know you have a 50% mix in the system when you start and don't flush the 3 quarts out of the engine block. If you do use it and flush out the block then you will have less than 50% mix in the system.
Once done you are good for 5 years or 150000 miles whichever comes first. Dex is that good.
I'll be using the procedure (below) that I found in another thread (thanks again!) to drain and flush as much of the old coolant as I can. 1) Step 4 says to repeat until the drained fluid comes out clear, and that got me wondering how much of the total 11.9qt coolant capacity is actually in the radiator? (i.e. what is the capacity of the OE Z06 radiator in 2012?)
2) How long should I wait after the engine gets warm and the thermostat opens to add more water so that I can get it to drain clear? (I don't want to add cool water to a warm block.)
Bob Dearborn’s Radiator Flush Procedure.
You need to open the drain plug on the passenger side bottom of the radiator and you will need a bucket to catch the drained fluid. You also need to remove the cap on the coolant reservoir.
1. Drain the coolant & close the drain.
2. Refill with water from hose (despite what some say about distilled water it only needs to be drinkable water),
3. Run the engine until the thermostat opens (can tell by feeling upper radiator hose)
4. Shut off engine and drain coolant again. Repeat until the drained fluid runs clear (this gets the old coolant out of the engine block and heater).
5. Once the drained fluid is clear, close the drain for the final time and add exactly half the coolant system capacity in straight Dexcool (orange) and then top off with water until full.
6. Once the system is full reinstall the cap and let the engine get hot. Rev it to 2500 or so a few times to burp out any air bubbles and when it is at temp turn off and let cool.
7. Once cool check coolant level and top off with water as required.
Do not use the 50% mix coolant found at autoparts stores as this method gets you a 50% mix. The premix 50% coolant is only useful if you know you have a 50% mix in the system when you start and don't flush the 3 quarts out of the engine block. If you do use it and flush out the block then you will have less than 50% mix in the system.
Once done you are good for 5 years or 150000 miles whichever comes first. Dex is that good.
05-01-2017, 07:30 PM
#2
Safety Car
So I have 9 year old coolant. I guess I should change it. Is everybody using Dex cool or are some of you going to the regular green stuff? I've heard different stories about this.
05-01-2017, 07:54 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
only like a gallon or so is in radiator. if you pull thermostat housing you get a few more quarts. you might want to flush without thermostat until you get clear liquid - then refill and put back in.
05-02-2017, 09:39 AM
#5
Drifting
Thread Starter
Gotcha, so it's definately going to take two or three refills before I finally get clear fluid to come out. Will have to get some more buckets, or maybe just another oil-drain container so I can recycle all of it. Thanks.