Overheating? and right Procedure to drain and refill coulant on a VN??

[zai]

Hello,

I have a fantastic station wagon VN serie 1 with 340 000 km. Since I bough this car, I drove 20.000 without any major pb. and I try to keep it in good nick as I need it everyday.

I try to do everything by myself because I don't trust mecanics. Twice I went to see them and each time the job hasn't be done right!!!

FIRST: is the VN's gauge sitting on between 1 and 2 bars normal (at constant speed)?
if I drive in heavy traffic (stop and start) the gauge go more than half way then fan kick in but gauge still remain more half way

For information, I change oil+filter about every 5000 km.
Thermostat as been changed just after I bought the car last year (I asked the mecanic to check the overheating pb and he changed this part. The gauge indicator still remain the same, between 1 and 2 bar).
I changed my oxygen sensor a few month ago (faulty code). My fuel consomption is quite good (8,5l freeway / 10l mixte mode / about 13l only in town).
I just changed my spark plugs (as describe in the workshop manual = every 20.000km)


SECOND: even if it seems I don't have a overheating pb, I would like to change my coolant as it's a bit rusty inside and I don't know whish coolant is inside. So, since I have this car, I only top up only with demineralised water. (I have bought a good Castrol coolant suitable for V6 commodore)

OR reading the workshop VN manual, the procedure is not simple as it seems to be. I did read a lot about and each time it's different.

On the VN manual:

BEFORE, I will turn on the heater and add the required amount of Nulon R40 to a warm radiator to ensure that the radiator and engine are as clean as possible. With the heater on, I will run the engine, or drive for 20 minutes minimum, 1 hour maximum.
Stop the engine and allow it to cool.

(l) Set the heater controls to the hot position. OK
(2) Position a suitable container under the cylinder block drain plugs and remove the surge tank cap. The drain plugs are located on each side of the cylinder block. OK
(3) Remove the cylinder block drain plugs, disconnect the lower radiator hose and drain the coolant into the container. OK

SHOULD I ALSO FLUSH INSIDE THE CYLINDER BLOCK WITH THE HOSE TO GET THE OLD DIRTY COOLANT OUT ??

OR refill the system with clean water, then run the engine up to operating temperature and when it is cool drain and flush again. This will ensure a clean environment for the new coolant.

But if I do this way, should I also before disconnect the thermostat cover hose + Disconnect the water pump bypass hose??

Then, i will do a reverse flush into the radiator and also clean the radiator core outside with a garden hose.

(4) When the coolant has drained, clean the cylinder block drain plugs, apply Loctite 242 or equivalent to the threads and tighten the drain plugs to Specifications. Connect the lower radiator hose. OK

Essential to apply loctite 242 or equivalent??

(5) Disconnect the water pump bypass hose from the front of the inlet manifold, and the overflow hose from the radiator.

Pb: Is it the little hose on the top of the water pump or the big hose on the right side?
Air bleeding operation?




(6) Loosen the clamp retaining the thermostat cover outlet hose to the pipe at the rear of the engine and insert a blunt nose screwdriver between the hose and pipe using care not damage the hose.

Pb: Is it just to control after the top up coolant procedure?

(7) Slowly fill the surge tank with the specified coolant until the coolant begins to flow from the bypass and radiator overflow hose connections. Connect the hoses securely. OK

(8) Continue filling the surge tank until coolant flows from the hose where the screwdriver is installed. Remove the screwdriver and tighten the clamp securely

(9) Fill the surge tank with the specified coolant as previously described and install three cooling system pellets, available from the vehicle manufacturer, into the surge tank (pellets are required to prevent deposits forming on the water pump seal which may cause coolant leakage. )

Pb: is it essential to buy this pellets as it is the first time I hear about these?


(10) Start and run the engine for 20 minutes to dissolve the pellets and purge any air that may be trapped in the cylinder heads. Check the coolant level as previously described.

How can the air may be purged by itself without bleeder valve??


THANKS for your help, as usually

V.++

[zai]

Yeah I know it's a bit long but it could help a lot of owner to know the RIGHT procedure. I have read such shitty comments about people who don't anything!

[zai]

Ok as no one was there to help me, I finaly did by myself.

The water/coolant was really really dirty! I can't believe the mecanics I saw twice since I bought the car never said anything! ****ing moron! Sorry but I paid once a thermostat for was I tought an overheating pb (in fact not!) and recently I paid for a global check up as I needed to drive 5000km. And these guy never said anything about my ****ing brown coolant!!!

Anyway, I have unplug everything, got out the radiator, clean everything with water, plug everything back and then run engine with water to clean as strong as possible before to use the coolant.

Before to use my coolant, I would like to clean my surge tank/overflow bottle cause it's really dirty inside between mud and rust.

So can you give a way to clean it. petrol? alcool? .....?

Thx

Zai

[vp_commo]

warm soapy water and a bottle cleaner... rinse well.

Then hit it with fine wet and dry sand paper lightly and spray paint it your colour of choice ,,black, grey, silver..whatever (thats if you dislike the yellow faded colour).
Fill up to the max mark with coolant.

Yeah I didnt really reply because its often to hard to answer somone with so much detail and not guarantee your going to leave somthing out, then you would go and stuff it.
Just follow the manual when in doubt

cheers
Dan

[zai]

Hummmm I let the engine ON for at least 2O minutes with the surge tank's cap off, and let the water boiled (really HOT) and it didn't clean really weel.

So I'm not sur warm soapy water will be enough

[zai]

Clean with petrol then a bit of methylated spirit+water to finish and clean with water hose before to install back = as new!

[vp_commo]

Did you replace the water pump?
The cover looks new but all that rusty looking water residue is sometimes a sign of a badly corroded water pump bolts.

Cheers

Dan

[zai]

No water pump still the same

Anyway, I still have dirt in my system. The hoses are like really muddy rusty inside!!
What can I do to really clean everything.

I flush for the first time with NULON.
Since I did 2 others flush, the water is cleaner but I still have a brown color because of the muddy hose and eveyrthing I can't see inside.


Is there a tip to clean eveyrthing PERFECT? should I buy a new Nulon bottle and drive longer??


Thx

[D3V14NT]

As vp_commo said it might be worth removing the water pump and replacing the bolts as they can corrode quite badly.

The water pump gasket is relatively inexpensive and you'll be able to see if there is any kind of damage while it's off.

I had to remove the timing cover recently and found that two of the water pump bolts were so badly corroded that I couldn't tighten them up again as there wasn't enough of the threaded section left. One of them I actually snapped off in the block and I had to drill it out. I can't remember the size of the bolts but once you have one out take it up to repco or super cheap and buy one of those little packets of bolts that match it.

As for cleaning it just keep it well maintained and clean and flush the system at regular intervals and it will come good. There is bound to be a lot of built up crap inside the water channels in the engine and it will take time for it all to be cleaned out.

[zai]

It's a serie 1 = spacer between the engine and the water pump? so I need 2 gaskets, one on each side of the spacer no??

I bought the car like this and I would like to clean as better as possible cause I don't want to pay expansive coolant every 6 month!

[zai]

perhap's can I just check ONE of the bolt unscrewing it like this to check there is not rust.
I still have water on my system so it's no really big deal to flush again and to check one or two bolt without dismantling the belt and the water pump no?

[vp_commo]

you just need a gasket suited to your car (never heard of a double thing), you can check a bolt and It is a pain to redo the coolant thing but if you got rust in your system then check it out.


cheers

Dan

[zai]

Perhap's I should make a new post for this question:

I've read dexcool gebuine holden coolant / castrol 350 & Tectaloy V plus coolant (suitable for V6 commodore using the same GM HN 2043 specification) could be too "strong" for the old engine = leak due to corrosive coolant on gasket

Is anyone can confirm. And what could be the solution?

thx