Coolant change - my lazy shortcut worked a treat!

[whom]

So I did a coolant change following some instructions I found on the forum. People say to remove the thermostat to flush the engine block but I found a shortcut. Simply remove the bleed bolt and butt a hose up against the hole! Worked a treat.




Good cheat?

 

[jesus]

What does the hose do?

You cannot bleed the full coolant system solely through the bleed nipple.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Great way of changing a small percentage of your coolant if that is what you are attempting to do.

If you want to empty it properly though, take the lower rad hose off.

 

[Dan]

If this was a quicker way to change the coolant properly don't you think the guys on here would have found it a long time ago and recommended doing it that way?

There's no point doing a half arsed job on these cars as they will bite back and very hard :S

 

[whom]

No no no sorry guys. I should have been clearer. A little surprised everyone assumed I was retarded though...

Normal procedure, air box off, lower hose off, top hose off and flush rad with garden hose.

But then rather than remove the thermostat to run tap water through the block I used the bleed hole. Make sense? Only that small change to the procedure.

A note to others bleeding too, you really must run the engine up to temp and keep an eye on it once you have finished the job. It took a few minutes after the thermostat had opened for the header tank level to stabilise. Also you should have the heater on so water flows around there in case of air in the matrix.

 

[Ade182]

No no no sorry guys. I should have been clearer. A little surprised everyone assumed I was retarded though...

Normal procedure, air box off, lower hose off, top hose off and flush rad with garden hose.

But then rather than remove the thermostat to run tap water through the block I used the bleed hole. Make sense? Only that small change to the procedure.

A note to others bleeding too, you really must run the engine up to temp and keep an eye on it once you have finished the job. It took a few minutes after the thermostat had opened for the header tank level to stabilise. Also you should have the heater on so water flows around there in case of air in the matrix.

It drops again when the fans kicks in. Initially just the thermostat will open and the coolant will cool the engine enough. I had to wait another 10-15mins for it to warm the coolant up for the fan to then need to kick in. Checked the levels again today and it was at 'Mini' so topped it up again.

 

[whom]

Ah right that ties in with my experience. The question then is... what happens when the fan kicks in that causes a change in the coolant circuit....?

It also took me ages to get the fan kicking in too. Had to hold the revs up. Glad I waited though.

 

[biojo]

why would you remove the thermostat, just remove hose in front of it. also if where u connected hosepipe to doesn't a hose from expansion tank run to same chamber. and the fan kicking in has nothing to do with coolant change or drop in fluid, the circuit changes when the thermostat its its set temp and opens valve to rad. fan doesn't need to come on

 

[whom]

why would you remove the thermostat, just remove hose in front of it. also if where u connected hosepipe to doesn't a hose from expansion tank run to same chamber. and the fan kicking in has nothing to do with coolant change or drop in fluid, the circuit changes when the thermostat its its set temp and opens valve to rad. fan doesn't need to come on

Well you answered your own question. With the thermostat shut how could I flush the block from the wrong side of it? The bleed screw is a way around the thermostat. And yes the header does go into that pipe but also the bottom pipe. Didn't take a second to remove top pipe and saved hassle of covering bottom pipe.

 

[Chip-mk1]

why would you remove the thermostat

So it doesnt stop coolant flowing past it?

 

[biojo]

Yes but u don't remove it, u just put hosepipe into front hose. surely.

and for where u connected hose to bleed hole, doesn't the expansion tank run to that section.

 

[whom]

Yes but u don't remove it, u just put hosepipe into front hose. surely.

and for where u connected hose to bleed hole, doesn't the expansion tank run to that section.

No.

And

No.

 

[MikeClio172SPT]

You'll never completley drain the block anyway by removing the bottom hose..... but you can flush the block, get the old stuff out. But removing the bottom hose is the way to drain & refill your system.

 

[whom]

You'll never completley drain the block anyway by removing the bottom hose..... but you can flush the block, get the old stuff out. But removing the bottom hose is the way to drain & refill your system.

Yeah I realised that, the pipe rises before the end.

I'll just make the point again in case I have caused confusion, I did the coolant change the normal and proper way but with the only difference being that I used the bleed hole to avoid removing the thermostat (since you need a new seal if you remove that).

I hope it helps someone!

 

[clio ph1 Belgium]

I always spill alot when removing air . You work neat with a hose.