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[paolo]

i want to drain my radiator and add some new coolant I have bought. There are plastic shrouds everywhere, and fading light (i have to get it done today)....where is the drain plug?

is it simply a case of removing the top off the pressure bottle, then unscrewing the drain plug....letting it all run out, then fill back up with new coolant?

thanks to anyone as sad as me to be in on a friday night..and wanting to change coolant!

[JamesV6CDX]

Drain plug is red plastic thingy at the bottom of the rad on the passenger side

Wait until daylight, and flush out the system properly, including the matrix

Otherwise, it's a bit of a waste of new a-freeze

[theolodian]

There is a red drain valve at the bottom of the NS of the radiator, on the back.  You don't have to take anything off or jack up the car to reach it.

A lot of coolant will stay in your system, refill with water, run for a couple of minutes with the heat on, and drain again.  Repeat until mostly clear.  Then refill with 4-5L of straight coolant and the rest water (if a V6).

[DaveL]

O,K M8 here goes, make sure that the engine is cold before starting. Place a large bowl or container underneath the radiator to catch the antifreeze. The anti freeze is very dangerous to animals so dispose of the water/antifreeze mix correctly. Remove the cooling system expansion tank top. There is a draining plug on the base of the radiator. Before you can get to it if you have an engine under shield you will have to remove it.

Loosen the radiator plug and drain the fluid into the container. Tighten the plug when no more fluid comes out.

 Mix the antifreeze and water to the correct ratio and pour into coolant header tank. Put top on tank and start engine after level comes up to the cold level mark. If you have a 6 cylinder engine then disconnect the upper heater pipe. Refit pipe and header tank cap. Run engine and after coming up to operating temp. check level in header tank by looking at the level on the marks. Only top up when the engine is cool, do not remove the header tank cap when it is hot as the water will/could spray out and scold.

By this time you might think of buying a torch.
 8-)
DaveL

[theolodian]

O,K M8 here goes, make sure that the engine is cold before starting. Place a large bowl or container underneath the radiator to catch the antifreeze. The anti freeze is very dangerous to animals so dispose of the water/antifreeze mix correctly. Remove the cooling system expansion tank top. There is a draining plug on the base of the radiator. Before you can get to it if you have an engine under shield you will have to remove it.

Loosen the radiator plug and drain the fluid into the container. Tighten the plug when no more fluid comes out.

 Mix the antifreeze and water to the correct ratio and pour into coolant header tank. Put top on tank and start engine after level comes up to the cold level mark. If you have a 6 cylinder engine then disconnect the upper heater pipe. Refit pipe and header tank cap. Run engine and after coming up to operating temp. check level in header tank by looking at the level on the marks. Only top up when the engine is cool, do not remove the header tank cap when it is hot as the water will/could spray out and scold.

By this time you might think of buying a torch.
 8-)
DaveL

I agree with some of that, some can go either way, and I disagree with a few things.  I stand by what I said earlier.

[tunnie]

have you read this?

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1167917774

Its for the later facelift 2.2's but should give an indication for yours. (The drain should be in the same place on V6)

[Andy B]

......

 Mix the antifreeze and water to the correct ratio and pour into coolant header tank. Put top on tank and start engine after level comes up to the cold level mark. If you have a 6 cylinder engine then disconnect the upper heater pipe. Refit pipe and header tank cap. .......

You can't drain enough coolant out of a V6 to allow you to put in the antifreeze that's already at the "correct ratio". When you open the drain tap it will drain off about 5 litres of water which, conveniently, is about the amout of antifreeze you need to give a 50/50 mix. And you don't need to remove any of the pipes.

[DaveL]

The pipe removal was to help the fluid out and drain from the heater matrix.
If it works for you with out then fine.
 8-)
DaveL

[theolodian]

The pipe removal was to help the fluid out and drain from the heater matrix.
If it works for you with out then fine.
 8-)
DaveL

Don't know about the hose, but the block also holds a lot.  The best way I know of to be sure is to drain and fill several times with water until clear, drain, add 5L pure coolant, and then top up as necessary with water.