Coolant system flush

[DomP182]

I'm hoping the weather improves tomorrow so I can change my alternator and flush my coolant before fitting a new radiator and condenser. I've read @bloke mention in the past about running a dissolved dishwasher tablet through it while the system gets up to temperature to give it all good clean out, is this really a good idea? Other suggestions welcome

 

[Crayola]

Drain it from the bottom rad hose, take the top rad hose off and stick the hosepipe in the top of the rad, leave it running water through for 10 mins. Top the car up and stick the hoses back on and run it, then drop the water out the bottom rad hose and fill with coolant

Make sure to get a new expansion tank for full sexy boy award points😂😂

If you wanna be a big perv then take the hoses off the matrix on the bulkhead and jam the hose in there too. Mine got rid of some right s**t when I did it

 

[DomP182]

@Yorkshire Pudding damn it! New header tank that's what I'm missing!

Doesnt the heater need to be blowing hot to open up the matrix? I'm loath to flush crap through my shiny new rad, thinking about it now I should have left the old one on to do the flushing and running up to temperature first🤔

 

[JamesBryan]

Leave the rad off and take the thermostat out and run the hose through the header tank and the thermostat housing.

 

[Crayola]

Nah matrix is always open flowing, just that the coolant won't be sent to it until the thermostat opens

 

[DomP182]

Thanks chaps! Quick ac drier question, drier is stamped with 'IN' on one port, would the condenser side be considered the IN side or OUT?

 

[MLB]

Did you find out which way was in/out?

 

[DomP182]

Did you find out which way was in/out?

I believe I did based on ac flow diagrams which all show the direction of travel to be from condenser to drier which also made sense to me so went with it...what's the worst that can happen?

 

[DomP182]

If I decided to change my thermostat after refilling the coolant how much coolant can I expect to loose? I would have done it at the time but not having one and needing to fill the coolant up dictated things.

 

[JamesBryan]

If I decided to change my thermostat after refilling the coolant how much coolant can I expect to loose? I would have done it at the time but not having one and needing to fill the coolant up dictated things.

Be lucky to get 5L back in.

Whole system is about 7L.

 

[DomP182]

Be lucky to get 5L back in.

Whole system is about 7L.

I was hoping to get away without having to buy another 5 litre bottle

 

[JamesBryan]

I was hoping to get away without having to buy another 5 litre bottle

How much have you got left?

 

[DomP182]

500ml ish

 

[JamesBryan]

500ml ish

Ahh, I think you'll loose more than that mate.

It comes pissing out when you undo the housing.

Unless you can catch some from the bleed screw and reuse it 😅

 

[DomP182]

I'll just see what happens

 

[MLB]

I believe I did based on ac flow diagrams which all show the direction of travel to be from condenser to drier which also made sense to me so went with it...what's the worst that can happen?

Of course, that makes a lot of sense, thank you.