by Eric L. Haschert

Created on: August 02, 2009

How to flush a car's radiator: Well, first you hook up the toilet. No just kidding! No toilet needed! First you drain the radiator. The easy way to do this is to first take off the radiator cap when the car is COLD. Do not, I repeat, do not try to remove the radiator cap after driving the car or running it for longer than 5 minutes. If you bother to read the radiator cap it will tell you the same thing.

When the car is hot so is the coolant in the radiator. If you open it while it is hot it will also be under pressure because it expands from the heat. The coolant will gush out and possibly burn you, normally in the face. So don't open the radiator cap unless the car is cold.

Next, once you have the radiator cap open, go to the driver's side bottom of the radiator. There is what is called a pit-cock there. It's valve is in the bottom driver's side corner of the radiator. There should be a picture of it in the owner's manual. Get a bucket that will fit under the radiator and the valve. Loosen the valve so that coolant/antifreeze comes out.

If you are doing this properly it should be COOL or COLD. Let the radiator drain into the bucket until the bucket is full, then close the pit-cock to the radiator. Usually the normal radiator will hold about a gallon. It may be more on larger cars or trucks, especially those with larger engines. So a gallon bucket will usually do the job.

Now, take the coolant from the bucket and pore it into a jug. You are going to take this used coolant and turn it in at an auto parts store, a local auto shop or minute lube place that recycles automotive fluids. Do not mix it with other fluids such as oil, because this creates a hazardous waste that cannot be recycled.

Once the radiator is empty, fill it with water, then run the car. This will be safe because you are doing it with the radiator cap off. Now keep an eye on the radiator spout where the cap was mounted. You need to watch the level and color of the water in the radiator.

The water should be stationary in the radiator. When the thermostat opens, while the car is running, you must run the car to flush the radiator. The water level will immediately drop in the radiator and green coolant will pour in from the driver's side of the radiator. Once the water is completely green in the radiator: stop the car and put the bucket under the pit-cock again and open it. Drain all the green coolant from the radiator. Put this in another

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