Draining Engine Of Coolant And Refill Bleeding Technique

[Robert Knight]

Hi All,I need some advice on draining the coolant from my 33GTR where best to disconnect hose for best drain and how to bleed after refill and which is the best coolant to use Cheers Greypearl

[89CAL]

The best way to do it is to take out the radiator, take out the thermostat, put a hose in the block where the top hose was and flush with water for a few minutes (or until the water comes out clean). If you can get the drain plug out of the block (on the turbo side) then it will help get some crap out as well, but most of the time its to tight to pull out in the car.

Flush the radiator and put it back in, you can flush it in the car, but you may as well pull it out of the car and clean the fins out a bit as well.

Bleeding - Fill the radiator with coolant until it stays at the top, this makes sure most of the block etc is full of water, start the car with the cap still open and get the car hot, continue to fill with coolant if the level goes down. When it doesnt seem like any more is going in then you can loosen the bleed screw and keep bleeding from there till no more air comes out while making sure the level in the radiator is still good

[Robert Knight]

Thanks for that Cal sounds easy enough what coolant do you recommend?? that's a sweet looking car in the pic I assume it's yours and love those tough looking wheels what are they?? and what colour is the car??Cheers Grey pearl

[89CAL]

I get free coolant so its good for me. Not anything you can buy at your local autobarn etc

The car is black.......

[Robert Knight]

Thanks Cal, What are those rims called I can't read the name bad eyes welding for 40 yrs Ha Ha that is a 33 gtr in the pic but your profile says gtst have you upgraded??Cheers Greypearl.

[89CAL]

No its a GTS-t just has a GTR spoiler and sidepods.

They are Lenso D1R's

[Robert Knight]

Sweet ride mate,Cheers Greypearl.

[AMR33]

The best way to do it is to take out the radiator, take out the thermostat, put a hose in the block where the top hose was and flush with water for a few minutes (or until the water comes out clean). If you can get the drain plug out of the block (on the turbo side) then it will help get some crap out as well, but most of the time its to tight to pull out in the car.

Flush the radiator and put it back in, you can flush it in the car, but you may as well pull it out of the car and clean the fins out a bit as well.

Bleeding - Fill the radiator with coolant until it stays at the top, this makes sure most of the block etc is full of water, start the car with the cap still open and get the car hot, continue to fill with coolant if the level goes down. When it doesnt seem like any more is going in then you can loosen the bleed screw and keep bleeding from there till no more air comes out while making sure the level in the radiator is still good

Hey man,

So do you mean keep running the car with rad cap off untill the water is at operating temp? Would the coolant not go everywhere? Also, the bleed screw is the little plastic one next to the radiator, correct? How do you know that there is no more air in it, does water start coming out at that point?

Also, i was reading about radiator flush etc a while ago and I remember people saying something about turning the heater on etc when bleeding I cant remember for sure, does that have anything to do with it?

Cheers

A

[89CAL]

Yes turn the heater on

You wont get coolant everywhere with the cap off because it doesnt get to pressurize. Youll get a bit of spillage but not too bad

Not real sure where the bleed screws are on gtr's but youll see a steady stream of water coming out with no bubbles when its free of air. You should be able to work out what I mean when you see it. Btw you only need to unscrew it 1 or 2 turns not all the way

[AMR33]

Cheers man, and obviously when water starts coming out you just tighten it back up by hand?

[tricstar]

On a gtr the bleed bolt is above the injectors toward the front.

You may need to leave it running for a while before the thermostat opens.

Takes more than 10 mins with the aircon running before mine opens.