More Cooling Questions - a load of hot air ?

[richardcox_lotus]

Dear Collective

Who'd have thought draining, flushing & refilling would be so difficult ? Having now obtained some sealant & thermostat gaskets I applied them and so to refill the system - add the flushing agent - run the engine - drain it all down again - hose flush it again - coolant refill - job's a good'un.

Immediately hit problem with 1st refilling. The Manual says a capacity of 7.9Litres. Car is Sprint with original small rad albeit with a 3-core.

I filled it up to 4 litres, squeezing hoses as I went.......Could I get any more in ? Could I b****x. Front of car jacked up RHS by over half a foot - still no luck.

So I am assuming a huge air lock between heater & block.

BUT

out of curiosity, I re-measured what I had drained. It came to about 4 litres.......

SO

1) Are the capacities different to the manual ?
2) If not, where is the water that should have drained out trapped ? I can understand an air lock - but when I flushed with a hose water was running freely - and clear - from the outlets.

Flushing was undertaken by a hose through top rad connection; revers flush thru bottom rad connection; bottom heater connection through block; top heater connection through heater hose from thermostat housing; also through thermostat housing back through block.

All comments gratefully received.

Rgds
Richard

[pamitchell]

Any benefit to removing the water jacket plugs on the block when flushing out the cooling system?
Phil

[elancoupe]

This is what I use to refill cooling systems : http://www.amazon.com/UView-550000-Airl ... B0002SRH5G

Eliminates airlocks.

[Concrete-crusher]

I have done the same yesterday and measured 4 litres out and 4 litres in. Does the water trapped in the block really add up to 3.9 litres making 7.9 in total ?

My block was flushed with a power washer at the beginning of the year when I rebuilt the engine , also my rad was new , however what came out when flushing looked rusty coloured , I refilled and flushed twice before adding a 50/50 mix of blue antifreeze and water , but taking a sample from the rad cap it still looks murky ?

So do I need to remove the brass block plug and do it again ?

Steve

[richardcox_lotus]

Holy thread resurrection!

I recall speaking to Miles about this a little while later. His relaxed comment was ?oh, you?ll never get it all out? so I chilled a bit. So long as it was clean, I was happy.

Regards
Richard

[mbell]

Can't really comment on capacity but on the murky water I can. Like you I had engine out and water plugs removed, good wash of lots of dirt and rust out of block. Less than a year and few hundred miles and the coolant is murky again.

I plan another flush in near future. Plan to remove block plug to drain, re fit and back wash engine from thermostat housing. Then wash radiator and heater in normal direction.