Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

2001 VX Commordore radiater drain

JazzyBabe101

New Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2011
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
33
Location
Brisbane
Members Ride
2001 VX Commodore
I have a 2001 VX holden Commodore i have done alot of work on the myself but don't know how drain the radiater to put new coolent in can someone plz help me in doing this and also i don't know how much water gose in with it on the bottle it sayd 1 part coolent and 2 part water can anyway help me with that to i need to do it asap cause it keeps over heating on me.
 

goose202

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2010
Messages
258
Reaction score
19
Points
18
Location
Adelaide
Members Ride
VF Calais L77, VX Calais LS1, VW T-ROC
Usually you just pull the bottom radiator hose off to drain the system.
Mix the coolant up in the specified ratios in a bucket two litres at a time and fill if you're not sure how much goes in, that way at worst you waste 2L of mixed coolant.
However if it's overheating I'd be really surprised if a coolant change fixes anything.
 

graham7773

Active Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2008
Messages
1,053
Reaction score
18
Points
38
Members Ride
VT Acclaim Wagon
Coolant mix should be 1:1 ratio, Holden specs. To properly drain the radiator and block, the knock sensors must be removed. Options? If you flush the block (take the thermostat out, put the housing back on) with the bottom hose off at the radiator, then flush the heater with its hoses off, until only clean clear water is coming out, put 6 liters of straight coolant in with no added water it may be ok. The last six liters of water cannot be drained from the block without removing the knock sensors. Learn how to bleed the cooling system or your heating problems may not go away The important thing to do here is, as goose202 says, is to find the cause of the overheating. New coolant is unlikely to fix that. The VX cooling system has a capacity of 12 liters.
 

saldip

New Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2015
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
avondale heights
Members Ride
VX 2001
Hi there, new member here with a few basic questions - 2001 VX
1. can anyone supply an image of where the radiator drain plug is - I simply cannot find one on the internet
2. will four (or five, or six) successive water flushes over four (or five, or six) successive days remove all contamination - presently solid brown colour under radiator cap
3. is there any merit in using vinegar flushes - can it cause any damage, more harm than good perhaps
4. is there merit in using undiluted coolant - i.e 100% coolant, no water
Thanks to all, Cheers.
 

Jxfwsf

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
4,852
Reaction score
108
Points
48
Location
Aus
Members Ride
commodore
Hi there!
1. There is no drain plug on the radiator, hence why there is no pictures or info on the internet (undo the bottom hose and let it flow)


2. Hose pressure and 100 psi of compressed air through the correct fitting will flush it (not everyone has the correct bungs/fittings in their back yard to do this though), if all you have is a garden hose then no, it won't matter how many times you attempt it you'll never dislodge all the stuff you want to clean out.

A proper cooling system chemical flush, maybe 2 goes would get a lot of it out and flush with clean water.... Any decent method is likely going to dislodge stuff that is currently blocking up any bad leaks.

Tbh if it's that bad and 15 years old I wouldn't even try, and simply drain it and flush with the garden hose until clear water comes out, refill with coolant and keep driving it.


3. Vinegar? It's an acid, it'll eat things like alloy/aluminium, copper and brass. If you don't completely neutralise it after it'll just contaminate whatever coolant you put in afterward aswell.


4. Huh? Why? Where have you heard of anyone even considering doing that? It's not how it works.
 

billythakid

New Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
530
Reaction score
3
Points
0
Location
wello point
Members Ride
vx II Executive
Straight "coolant" will make your car run hotter , it can't dissipate heat aswell as water /"coolant" mix .
It's actually only put in cars to
1. stop water rusting the guts out of everything internally
2. Stop water freezing in cold ass climates
3. Increases the boiling point a few degrees than plain water
4. Lubricate seals abit to stop them perishing

Anti freeze / anti boil is actually a glycol mix
Coolant is a generic name
 

accentstencil

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2005
Messages
8,376
Reaction score
586
Points
113
Age
71
Location
Caboolture South, QLD
Members Ride
WH II Caprice, 5.7 2018 Equinox LTZ V
It beats me why Holden does not put a tap on the radiator to empty it like most other cars.
 
Top