Sucking water out

[jonbarrett]

I need to drain the coolant system this weenkend to change the water rails. Is there a 'proper' way of draining the system by sucking the water out. I'd prefer not to pull a hose an loose all my nice new antifreezed water over the drive.

If it can be done where would I feed the hose and what is the best pump. (I don't have power in the garage.)

[tvrgit]

Oddly enough, I was thinking about this only yesterday, as I was reading an old "Practical Classics" magazine which contained a review of suction fluid extractors. Their best buy was the screwfix one here.

I don't know where you would use it though - I would suggest emptying the expansion tank first and then taking out the bleed valve in the top of the radiator and putting the pipe in there.

[caduceus]

Undo the bottom hose from the radiator to drain out all the old fluid.

TO refill, undo the bleed bolt on top of the rad (O/S), undo the reservoir and put in 15 litres of water/antifreeze mix.

Then bleed the system.

[WIL35]

caduceus said:

Undo the bottom hose from the radiator to drain out all the old fluid.

But then you still get the old stuff shooting out, making it difficult to catch and soaking the garage floor! I don't know why manufacturers don't build in a drain tap that you can connect some pipe to and drain it into a bucket, much like a domestic central heating system!

[brogenville]

your best bet doing it nealy is to first siphon what you can out of the header tank, then remove the bleed plug on the radiator and siphon right out to the bottom of the rad (which is pretty much the lowest part of the cooling circuit anyway)

[ridds]

brogenville said:

your best bet doing it nealy is to first siphon what you can out of the header tank, then remove the bleed plug on the radiator and siphon right out to the bottom of the rad (which is pretty much the lowest part of the cooling circuit anyway)

[dean_ratpac]

jonbarrett said:

I need to drain the coolant system this weenkend to change the water rails. Is there a 'proper' way of draining the system by sucking the water out. I'd prefer not to pull a hose an loose all my nice new antifreezed water over the drive.

If it can be done where would I feed the hose and what is the best pump. (I don't have power in the garage.)

doing this next weekend to "add new sensor" into the system.

[tvrgit]

ridds said:

brogenville said:

your best bet doing it nealy is to first siphon what you can out of the header tank, then remove the bleed plug on the radiator and siphon right out to the bottom of the rad (which is pretty much the lowest part of the cooling circuit anyway)

Brilliant! Wish I'd thought of that...

[jonbarrett]

Thanks chaps, looks like I'm in for a sucking great weekend.

[ridds]

tvrgit said:

ridds said:

brogenville said:

your best bet doing it nealy is to first siphon what you can out of the header tank, then remove the bleed plug on the radiator and siphon right out to the bottom of the rad (which is pretty much the lowest part of the cooling circuit anyway)

Brilliant! Wish I'd thought of that...

[plumAJP]

as brogenville said. undo bolt on offside of rad and siphon out and or put your lips onto the header tank and blow on it to pressure the water out of the hole

[Ireland]

Or you could go the agricultural method ..... a pit (or lift) and a BIG dustbin.

[markh1]

Ireland said:

Or you could go the agricultural method ..... a pit (or lift) and a BIG dustbin.

or do what I did....Get a token amount in a bucket and the rest on the garage floor

[jonbarrett]

Bought one of those Screwfix fluid extractors. What a great bit of kit. Ten minutes to empty the entire cooling system through the radiator bleed point without even getting my fingers wet. It also works with oil so I can empty the engine oil through the dip stick hole. Every garage should have one!

[tvrgit]

jonbarrett said:

Bought one of those Screwfix fluid extractors. What a great bit of kit. Ten minutes to empty the entire cooling system through the radiator bleed point without even getting my fingers wet. It also works with oil so I can empty the engine oil through the dip stick hole. Every garage should have one!

I bought one the other day after mentioning it here, was delivered yesterday. Will be using it tomorrow or Friday.

[jonbarrett]

You'll like it.