ChatterBox
SubscriberHas been many in-post references recently for doing the coolant drain, fill and bleed which is well understood. I have the pages from the workshop manual.
What I am asking is about the flush technique before adding new coolant hence a new thread.
I’m going for the Pink Nulon OAT premix coolant as suggested to replace existing pink presume OEM coolant as I am not sure 100% if the coolant was changed at time of timing belt when the water pump and plastic top fitting was changed some 6 years ago. I imagine a lot of coolant would be dropped in any case in this process.
It has been suggested that the Cummins flush product is best but I can’t easily find so am going with the Nulon Flush & Clean R40. Requires a 20 minute drive.
(I assume principle of every flush product is same?)
It seems sensible to do some sort of flush when changing coolant.
What’s not clear from Nulon instructions is if the flush is done after draining the existing coolant or added to existing coolant before dropping it? This would be ideal and it seems plausible the old coolant could be the transfer medium.
Radiator Flush and Clean - Nulon Products Australia
If does need the old coolant dropped can you mix the flush product with tap water for the 20 minutes drive with heater on?
Assume when you do drop the coolant you can chase out the old coolant with tap water and let it all exit.
Any advice on this confusing middle step would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you wise ones
OldBushie
My method...
Drain, fill with demineralised water, drive 10 min.
Cool, drain, fill with demineralised water & flush - follow instructions for flushing agent.
Then drain, demineralised water, drive 10 min.
Cool, drain.
Add coolant...
Start engine and bleed as per procedure for vehicle.
Top up as necessary.
It’s hard work draining all the old coolant - especially if you have rear AC...
OldBushie
Looking at their instructions you would add it to your current coolant and then drop the lot...
ChatterBox
SubscriberThanks, that’s how I read it which seems to make sense and saves a few steps.Originally Posted by Tombie
I would still be wanting to do an interim cleansing water flush after dropping old coolant to get all crud and flush material out. This could be just in garage with water and engine running. Would tap be acceptable if it was only to stay in for 10 minutes as a flush?
It seems also that you can’t add the flush product today and do the drive and then drop it tomorrow. It must be pretty aggressive stuff I imagine. 1 hour must be the max time they want it in the system.
Super ModeratorI haven't done one on the LR yet, but my procedure on any other vehicle is always :
- Drop the coolant
- Remove thermostat and flush with garden hose until all existing water was crystal clear
- Drain and dry as much as possible (usually block drains + compressed air)
- Fill and bleed with demin water, run until thermostat opens
- Let it cool down & drain
- Fill and bleed with demin water, run until thermostat opens
- Let it cool down & drain
- Fill with calculated volume of concentrate and top up with demin
It's a bit of a process, but I usually do all 3 cars at the same time, so by the time you get to the end of one step it's time to start the next one anyway.
I've only ever done one car that I could completely drain, so I do it on the basis of there will always be a couple of litres of residual demin in there. Add the concentrate based on handbook volume and top up. I've stayed away from the "magic in a bottle" flushes. The only time I saw they were ever really necessary was changing a silicate to an original GM Dexcool, or after an "oil in the coolant" episode and then I just used Finish dishwasher powder. The later OAT coolant formulations have been far more forgiving toward cross contamination.
Each time I've dropped coolant in the LR I've drained it from the bottom hose on the fuel cooler into a bottle. There has always been a significant amount of gritty residue come out there which I've been careful to filter out when re-adding the coolant to the car.
It's due a coolant replacement next service, so I'll have a closer look at it then.
Cheapest Demin I've found is in 4L bottles at Bunnings. I've had the odd funny look when I've barrelled through the checkouts with 10 bottles.
ChatterBox
SubscriberThanks, to run the flush or not to flush, that is the question.
On quick inspection of the task ahead the removal of the lower radiator protection plate reveals a picture something different to the workshop manual
All I can see is a tight spaghetti of pipes and the thermostat. The radiator is not visible behind the shroud. I’m assuming the lower radiator pipe to remove to drain is actually on the thermostat and not on the radiator? Removing the thermostat completely is a super daunting task by looks for another day.
OldBushie
Take the small hose off the thermostat.
ChatterBox
Subscriber**Cut the red wire**
OldBushie
The other one I have used is from the fuel cooler - where the plastic line meets the rubber one.Thanks, to run the flush or not to flush, that is the question.
On quick inspection of the task ahead the removal of the lower radiator protection plate reveals a picture something different to the workshop manual
All I can see is a tight spaghetti of pipes and the thermostat. The radiator is not visible behind the shroud. I’m assuming the lower radiator pipe to remove to drain is actually on the thermostat and not on the radiator? Removing the thermostat completely is a super daunting task by looks for another day.
ChatterBox
SubscriberConsidering PS fluid change disaster today I think I will save up for a change of the coolant reservoir tank and thermostat and top plastic fitting as part of the coolant change.
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