Changing VT Radiator...

[petesmith]

Hi All,

Changing my radiator in my 98 VT Automatic Wagon tomorrow...got a few questions for those out there who might know...

Do i need to flush the system, including the engine block? If so, how?

From memory i drain the current radiator by taking off the bottom hose, take off the fans, transmission lines (being careful not to spill the trans fluid i think by holding the lines upwards), top hose then unbolt and take out radiator. Slide in the new one, bolt it on, put on top hose and bottom hose, undo bleeder, fill with 50/50 coolant and water, do up bleeder once coolant is flowing through with no air, and while filling new radiator, do so through something that makes the radiator the highest point and kinking the overflow pipe thingy...

If there is anything i have missed, please let me know. If i do it right, maybe ill take pics and do a "How To"....

Thanks in advance!

[w1war3na]

it probably helps to flush the engine block so you dont get all that old shity water in your new radiator, i had to do the same to my vt, i removed the thermostat, the lower hose and the water pump to flush it out properly. if you have a v6 engine then you need to remove the knock sensors on both sides of the block to drain all the water but since its just a flush you wont have to

[vl_nick]

you need to flush the heater core too. undo both heater hoses and flush with a hose until no coolant is left. then flush the other way. not too high a pressure or you can split the heater core which = coolant leak under dash.

[pablo]

A word of warning!..
When fiddling with heater hoses, try not to put any strain on the two metal heater pipes that come through the fire wall. On some heater cores, these two pipes are bolted on and have a weak 'O' ring seal which is prone to leaking if there is any movement of the pipes.
Later replacement heater elements have these two pipes welded on so as to stop this leaking problem.
Don't ask how I found out!!.........................It was a bloody expensive lesson!

Pablo

[dope505069]

what is the correct way to flush heater core ?

[accentstencil]

what is the correct way to flush heater core ?

I don't know if it is the correct way or not but I disconnect the heater hoses at the engine and stick a hose in one of them, making sure the heater dial is set to hot.

[kandicanie]

it probably helps to flush the engine block so you dont get all that old shity water in your new radiator, i had to do the same to my vt, i removed the thermostat, the lower hose and the water pump to flush it out properly. if you have a v6 engine then you need to remove the knock sensors on both sides of the block to drain all the water but since its just a flush you wont have to

im a learner when it comes to this sort of stuff, im tryin to flush my radiator coolant ive removed to top cap on the radiator do i remove the hose underneath?? if so which end do i remove it from??? sorry i am a chick after all

[VT_SS]

Hi All,

Changing my radiator in my 98 VT Automatic Wagon tomorrow...got a few questions for those out there who might know...

Do i need to flush the system, including the engine block? If so, how?

From memory i drain the current radiator by taking off the bottom hose, take off the fans, transmission lines (being careful not to spill the trans fluid i think by holding the lines upwards), top hose then unbolt and take out radiator. Slide in the new one, bolt it on, put on top hose and bottom hose, undo bleeder, fill with 50/50 coolant and water, do up bleeder once coolant is flowing through with no air, and while filling new radiator, do so through something that makes the radiator the highest point and kinking the overflow pipe thingy...

If there is anything i have missed, please let me know. If i do it right, maybe ill take pics and do a "How To"....

Thanks in advance!

Quick question why are you changing your radiator ?