So as my car goes back together, i am needing to do a coolant flush to get any remaining drill filings out of the engine block. Any good DIYs or ideas on accomplishing this? I was thinking of just running hose water through to flush then drain. Then fill with 50/50 mix of coolant/distilled water. Any tips? My car is a manual so PIWIS should not be needed.

 

First drain it from the two plugs on the bottom. Then take the thermostat hose and housing off. Now use an air nozzle and a rag and pressurize through the coolant tank cap. I did this and got about 6 gallons out. My $.10

 

1. Drain the engine by removing the plugs from under the engine on the coolant tubes near the crankcase ... This should get about 1.5- maybe 2 gallons out.

2. Petcock on radiator (center) is good for maybe 1 gallon

3. Take smaller hose off overflow tank in engine and put a blow gun on the hose and get under the car and disconnect the rad hose on the driver's side near the trans and put that hose into a bucket. When you blow air into the small hose on the overflow *carefully* you can get another 5 gallons out and that's pretty much all of it.

 

also, ( important ) have the front end lifted while adding fluid and rev maintain a steady 2500rpm ( or so ) while filling and ensure the breather on the expansion tank cap is "open" pre-fill; and only close it once the system has been normalized.

there still may be overflow out of the cap on your first tentative miles. once you're certain levels and pressure are right, snap down the breather. done. re-filling with coolant ( the first time ) is a most awkward procedure.

50/50 w g13. but you know this. its a weird process for any diy. i swear, a spoiler re-bleed is less fraught with uncertainty!

 

I would actually suggest having the front slightly canted forward. It's easy to refill the motor, it's getting the coolant to the transfer tubes and front rads that's the issue once the t-stat opens.

 

umm, not sure, but my memory was skewed forward no thx to the progressives of the world..still, its not ( as i recall ) the rear to be lifted. all i know was i was high(er). no, i'm sure now. i was able to see over the dash. front was up on jacks!

iirc? as explained, the system pressurizes from rear to front and is more quickly achieved with the front lifted.. hence, the front being raised and a rev of 2000+ being maintained.

thx for testing my memory lol

 

To each their own I guess. Makes more sense to have the rear slightly lifted though as liquid will still want to follow gravity's path as well.

I just did this 2x within the past year also using this method with no issue. Either way I guess would work.

 

I'd fill the system with distilled water a couple times and drain. Should be a lot easier to fill completely with an Airlift or similar. I have one but have not used it on the 6t yet.

Great write up here: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...e-coolant.html

 

that makes sense. i think the critical step is to ensure the revs are maintained. but agree, either way would have to work. as long as the coolant pressure eventually equalizes! only issue i ever had was coolant puking out the exp tank pre-snapping shut the breather until coolant levels were sorted.