Coolant change - how far do you go?

[Harold]

Hello chaps,

I need to change my coolant in the next couple of weeks, and I'm curious as to how thoroughly everyone else does it.

I'm aware of the two drain screws on the pipes underneath the car and the drain on the engine, and of course the one underneath the rad and perhaps even flushing the heater matrix.

But the last time I did it, both drain screws on the pipes were thoroughly seized, I couldn't find/get access to the engine drain (can't remember), so just used the radiator drain only and gave it a good flush.

Is it completely wrong to save myself a load of hassle and do the same again?

Thanks all.

[mrfil13]

I just drained the radiator the other week, jacked up the rear of the car to get as much out.

Worked out i got 5 litres out of the system that way. I was the same as you and did not fancy risking the bolts under the car snapping. If the coolant that came out looked horrible then i would have made more effort to get more out.

I wish i had stuck the bleed pipe on the heater bleed in the frunk and see if anything can be brought out of the heater matrix.

[Draven]

for me it depends on how clean the coolant is that came out of the system, if it looks clean enough then I wouldn't worry too much. That said I tend to change my coolant every 3 years.. So it is always clean.

[Gullzter]

I've done the coolant a few times now and I usually drain rad and pipes underneath, but this time I done engine also and a few extra litres came out so I'd do it all. Heat the car up for a few mins til warm then let cool down a few mins then take it apart, will help loosen the bolts

[qwakers]

if i couldnt get the drain bolts off the pipes then id cheat and pop one of the pipes off at the engine end and stuff a airline in there with rags to seal it, itll blow all the old coolant out .

[Gullzter]

After I drained the coolant out I ran water through it for a good 15mins or so, occasionally closing up 1 or 2 plugs at a time to get it through the full system, then I ran an air line through it, just a thought

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get a wet vac.

stick it on blow...

turn the engine on to make luke warm

open the rad drain valve.

put the wet vac on the radiator filler blow it through