flush radiator VT Series ll 1999

[badgez]

Just joined today. Very impressed with the posts I've looked at and this excellent forum.

I have a 1999 VT Commo and don't know too much about servicing cars (please be kind!).

Moved from the city to the bush and now have a fair bit of time to do things not done before in the big smoke.

The coolant was replaced around 18 months ago and now doesn't have that healthy green colour any more. Should I flush the radiator and replace the coolant?

If so, can someone help with a step-by-step? Or perhaps this is a tired question repeated in the past. I've looked around and can't find any other info, so would appreciate any help.

Cheers

 

[Boonz]

pair of pliers, remove bottom hose retainer, remove bottom hose at radiator end, remove the inner heater hose clamp and hose on water pump outlet ,turn the heaters onto ful,l put the garden hose in the heater hose pipe and let the water flush the coolant out the bottom of the radiator, attatch garden hose to the water pump outlet and flush block out, remove radiator cap and flush radiator thru, replace all hoses and clamps, remove engione cover, loosen bleeder screw, fill radiator with coolant and run until water squirts out bleeder screw, tighten screw and replace engine cover onto motor, check for leaks

 

[badgez]

Thanks heaps. Got me a job to do on Saturday!

The last local service guy used Holden Coolant Inhibitor.

Guess I should use the same or is there another product more popular generally?

Do I need to dilute?

Cheers.

 

[holden007]

I would you Nulon, they last longer and make sure its the green colour.

 

[vt_lover]

you really should remove the knock sensors. they are on the bottom of the water jacket which is lower than the bottom hose. you need a deep socket(22 mm i think) and also the tectaloy Holden grade coolant is a much better choice than nulon. and make sure to use demineralized water.

 

[Boonz]

you should leave coolant in iron blocks for more than 2 years without flushing it anyway, there is always corrosion happening and a regular flush is actually good for the system.... genuine stuff is fine, 4 litres of coolant the rest rain water, brings it to about a 50/50 mix which is ok for warmer climates

 

[BOGANV8]

An easier way to flush is to just remove the top hose off the radiator and stick garden hose in the radiator spout and run engine with heater on till the themostat opens and run car till the water flows out of the top hose nice and clean..

Then remove garden hose and if your quick enough you can add the coolant while the engine is running via the radiator cap making sure not to let it flow out of the top spout on the radiator..

Add the 4 or so litres then put the top hose back on and add water till its full then bleed system.....


Jus my 2 cents

 

[pablo]

My VT V6 , according to the workshop manual, holds 12 litres of coolant. Which means to achieve the 50/50 mix of distilled water and glycol concentrate is 6 litres of each!!!

 

[wrx884]

you really should remove the knock sensors. they are on the bottom of the water jacket which is lower than the bottom hose. you need a deep socket(22 mm i think) and also the tectaloy Holden grade coolant is a much better choice than nulon. and make sure to use demineralized water.

ive been told and sworn by it 2 never use demineralised water always use tap water (city only, country waters not the same) or rain water the reason 4 this studies were proven that demineralised water doesnt have the nessasary minerals in the water 2 make the coolent do its job therefore coz it doesnt have theses minerals the coolent will start 2 find the minerals elsewhere which would b in ur block so in time will slowly take them out eating away at the minerals that r in ur block. im interested if ne1 else have heard of this b4?

 

[vxcalais_01]

I thought the idea was to have all the minerals taken out ? This is what causes scale and corrosion. Rain water has no minerals. Minerals come into the water once they hit the ground and pick them up flowing over land, rivers systems, dams etc. You are not to use boiled water as althoug this removed bacteria sludge etc, it can acutually increase it or something like that.

I believe the ozzie made Superroo coolant is good stuff.