[Durzel]

Anyone had experience of flushing out the radiator on their R33?

I tried doing it earlier tonight but due to me being mentally challenged I couldn't see what I needed to do. And it got too dark to see properly. Ideally I want to give it a proper flush.

From what I can see there is a small hose that goes to the top of the radiator (from the coolant reservoir) that connects to where the cap which says "Do not unscrew when hot" is. Is this the thermostat? Do I disconnect this hose?

I can also see another thick pipe that connects to the radiator near the bottom left of the radiator (driver side of the car) - I'm assuming this is the one I have to unscrew to drain the radiator?

Any help would be gratefully received, I want to flush it out completely tomorrow morning because there's bits of crap in the reservoir.

 

[Simon]

Durzel, I saved this post from Keith a while ago:

"IF YOU LOOK UNDER THE CAR THE BOTTOM HOSE HAS A DRAIN POINT THAT YOU CAN PUT A BUCKET UNDER AND USE A SCREWDRIVER TO TAKE OUT THE DRAIN PLUG.
DONT DO WHEN HOT

WHEN YOU REFILL YOUR RAD ON YOUR CAR YOU NEED TO VENT THE HEAD JUST BACK FROM NUMBER 1 INJECTOR YOU WILL SEE A 10MM BOLT TAKE IT OUT WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD FILL RAD TILL WATER COMES OUT OF THE HOLE THEN REFIT THE BOLT TOP UP RAD THEN FIT CAP THEN CHECK THE EXP BOTTEL TO MAKE SURE IT IS UP AT THE FULL MARK "

Hope it helps.

 

[Durzel]

So I have to get under the car and unscrew bolts just to flush/refill the radiator?

Come back Astra, all is forgiven..

 

[MattPayne]

dont you always need to get under the car to flush the cooling system... all my other cars have had me either underneath or reaching down through the bottom of the engine bay...

 

[Durzel]

I didn't have to on the Astra, but no matter

There is a big hose that connects to the radiator near the bottom left (driver side) of the car - is that something completely different or should I disconnect that?

Do I actually have to jack the car up then to flush the coolant out?

 

[MattPayne]

did you pick the astra up and shake the water out the top then???
if the big pipe is out the bottom of the rad, then id say that should be ok to flush the system... but I HAVE NOT DONE THIS on a skyline, and, hell, i tend just to replace a rad when they crack... so not really a proper flushing!!!moore just a draining...

 

[Andy Barnes]

Durz

Do what I told you to, call the man

Bye for now...........

 

[Simon]

It all sounds a bit difficult Durzel i.e. the venting the head bit. I'd leave it for someone who knows what they're doing. Probably only take 'em 10 minutes.

 

[Peter]

If you just want to drain the system and replace the coolant, all you do is either drain it in the way that Simon posted above, courtesy of Keith, or remove the bottom hose and drain it that way. It's no great shakes either way although you'll have to remove the undertray which is held on by 10 or so 10mm bolts and you will have to jack it up. Keith describes how to bleed the head by undoing the little bolt by #1 injector which is simple too. Look for little sticker which says not to undo it while hot.

If you want to flush the system and I've never done this, I guess you'd need to release the bottom hose from the rad and flush it by releasing the top hose and feeding a hosepipe in there to flush the block and into the rad to do that.

HTH.

 

[Durzel]

Thanks for all the help guys.

Given the kind of scare stories I've heard about "cracking the head", etc I think I'll leave this job to the professionals. Only reason I mentioned it because I had assumed it was a job an amateur such as myself could do.

I'll get it done when I get the car serviced - which is due very soon.