On a cylinder head removal, do you have to drain the coolant

[cahami]

Amazed

[mrtwisty]

This might be a little late, but if you've not done it yet I would recommend spending some time on the net researching this job (there's always someone who's done it before and written a piece on it, and as mentioned earlier haynes can be very hit and miss). No offence, but if you need to ask that original question you might be biting off more than you can chew.

[PoleDriver]

Acheron said:

The Haynes manual is telling me to drain the coolant, however its only instruction is 'remove the hose from the left of the radiator'.

There's no diagram, no picture, no in depth location for this, it doesnt even say left as you look to the car or left as youre sat in it.

I cant find the elusive hose anywhere, does it make a difference if it is not drained off?

2.2 Vectra B.

If you need to ask this question you should not really be taking off the cylinder head!

[Larry Dickman]

mrtwisty said:

This might be a little late, but if you've not done it yet I would recommend spending some time on the net researching this job (there's always someone who's done it before and written a piece on it, and as mentioned earlier haynes can be very hit and miss). No offence, but if you need to ask that original question you might be biting off more than you can chew.

Good advise.

[CraigyMc]

PoleDriver said:

If you need to ask this question you should not really be taking off the cylinder head!

I'm in two minds about this.

• Either OP knows what he is doing and is asking a question to see how other do it, or
• OP is about to remove himself from the roads, which under the circumstances seems to be a good thing.

Either way is fine by me.

C

[Carrot]

Have you got a mechanically minded mate (not like an Ry_B mate obviously - a real one ) who can give you some pointers while you are doing it?

When I did the brakes on my car for the first time, I also followed a haynes manual, but had a mate who is a mechanic to watch and step in if I was about to do something wrong - best way to learn IMO (and safest)

[IforB]

PoleDriver said:

Acheron said:

The Haynes manual is telling me to drain the coolant, however its only instruction is 'remove the hose from the left of the radiator'.

There's no diagram, no picture, no in depth location for this, it doesnt even say left as you look to the car or left as youre sat in it.

I cant find the elusive hose anywhere, does it make a difference if it is not drained off?

2.2 Vectra B.

If you need to ask this question you should not really be taking off the cylinder head!

^^^^^This.

[busta]

Biker's Nemesis said:

CraigyMc said:

davepoth said:

I'd collect the coolant anyway - It'll freeze this evening if it goes on the driveway, which won't be fun.

? I'd have thought it wouldn't freeze. It shouldn't anyway!

Are you saying anti freeze doesn't freeze.

So people are more concerned about it being a bit skiddy than the fact that anti-freeze is pretty nasty stuff and if you just let it run down a drain it's going to make the fish have 3 eyes?