[DeTomaso] Time to drain the radiator
Mike Reilly
reillyms at live.com
Thu Apr 23 17:32:53 EDT 2020
Hi Terry. I was about to do my regular coolant drain/replace maintenance as well during this quarantine period. I had pulled an article from a POCA magazine (sorry forgot the author) into my personal files back in 2013 or 14. It was a good way to drain the coolant from my perspective. I pasted it below. I also have flushed my system by hooking a hosed to the typical Prestone type T fitting that goes in the heater hose line and allows you to hook up a hose to flush the system. Not sure how good that really works but the POCA article on draining both the radiator and engine block has worked well for me in the past and is how I do it now.
For filling the car back up I use this device (https://www.amazon.com/Robinair-75260-Coolant-Refiller-Preventer/dp/B001QFDRS0) with good success. Of course then some bleeding of the system after some driving by parking it nose down an incline and bleeding from the radiator. I found that the Robinair fill system does well and I rarely get air in the system. My car is mainly stock with stock radiator and front Mariah fans. Regards, Mike Reilly
Text from the POCA article below:
First of all, the standard drain petcock leads to water going all over the
place as you have experienced. But it's a very simple matter to replace it
with one that has a hose barb; they are available at any good hardware
store. Then you can have a length of hose attached, and leave it in place,
running full-width behind the radiator and secured at the other end with a zip
tie. When you have to drain the system, you just hang the hose over your
drain pan and open it up. Here's a photo of mine in place:
http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=28741 (mike: not sure if this link still works)
Also, you know there are a pair of drain plugs located at the lowest point
in the engine block, right? One on each side. Pop those plugs out to
drain the back half of the system. Water might splash against the chassis
rails, but that's not the end of the world, especially if you've mostly drained
the system from the front already.
You want three of these:
http://napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=WH_6660_0367751284
Brass Fitting - Drain Cock http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=WH_6660_0367751284
[cid:image001.png at 01D6197B.72A81C20]
Close [Close] <javascript:$.fancybox.close()>
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Angled
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[cid:image001.png at 01D6197B.72A81C20]
Close [Close] <javascript:$.fancybox.close()>
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Front
[cid:image005.png at 01D6197B.72A81C20]
Part Number: WH 6660
Product Line: Weatherhead
Attributes:
90 Straight Thread O-Ring Elbow Male Long Dimension N : 0.660 in (16.8 mm)
Brass Angle Bib Drain Dimension M1 : 1.010 in (25.7 mm)
Description : Angle Bib Drain
Dimension C : 0.562 in (14.3 mm)
Dimension L : 1.330 in (33.8 mm)
Dimension M : 0.620 in (15.7 mm)
Male Pipe Thread O.D. : 0.250 in (6.4 mm)
Material : Brass
Tube O.D. : 0.375 in (9.5 mm)
One in the bottom of the radiator as Mike Drew has shown you. Two more
in the engine block where the drain plugs are. Don't install a hose to
the ones on the block, you'll just slip one on when you need to.
Here is a photo of the passenger side engine drain plug. The safety
wire is to prevent it from opening accidentally on it's own.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=426215700731537&set=pb.123856937634083.-2207520000.1347325802&type=1&theater (mike comment: Found the link is now broken to this Facebook post)
Being able to attach a hose is -very- convenient. You can direct the
coolant exactly where you want it.
That will drain an overwhelming majority of the coolant from the car.
However, you will -still- have some in the under-car tubes. I think the
best solution for that is similar to what you were thinking, some kind
of a bung so you can install either two more of these petcocks or just a
plug. I'd put them at an angle so they were not straight down. Sure,
you won't get it -all- out, but most of it; enough so it doesn't make a
-big- mess.
*
I have a long, low drain pan that I put under the radiator. I find that if you put a rag over the drain plug the coolant will follow it down into the pan and not go all over the place. Then I just hose off the bit that is left over and take the car for a drive to dry the area
From: Himes, Terry (US 397C) via DeTomaso<mailto:detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2020 10:35 AM
To: detomaso at detomasolist.com<mailto:detomaso at detomasolist.com>
Subject: [DeTomaso] Time to drain the radiator
Pantera Team List,
SoCal will be experiencing no rain and 80deg temps this weekend!
Time to charge my battery and flush the radiator. Anyone out there
have any tips & tricks for the flush process? I vaguely remember there
are some things, but I’m gettin’ old.
Terry
"A Purple Heart proves you were smart enough to hatch a plan,
stupid enough to try it and lucky enough to survive!"
Terry W. Himes
JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Deep Space Exploration – Mission Operations
Dawn Spacecraft Team
Europa Lander Science Support Team
TGO Sequence Lead
MEX Sequence Lead
Odyssey Sequence Team
Spitzer Space Telescope Data Team
Phone: (818) 393-6261
Cell: (818) 653-8213
thimes at jpl.nasa.gov<mailto:thimes at jpl.nasa.gov>
[signature_117325739]
-------------- next part --------------
Hi Terry. I was about to do my regular coolant drain/replace
maintenance as well during this quarantine period. I had pulled an
article from a POCA magazine (sorry forgot the author) into my personal
files back in 2013 or 14. It was a good way to drain the coolant from
my perspective. I pasted it below. I also have flushed my system by
hooking a hosed to the typical Prestone type T fitting that goes in the
heater hose line and allows you to hook up a hose to flush the system.
Not sure how good that really works but the POCA article on draining
both the radiator and engine block has worked well for me in the past
and is how I do it now.
For filling the car back up I use this device
([1]https://www.amazon.com/Robinair-75260-Coolant-Refiller-Preventer/dp
/B001QFDRS0) with good success. Of course then some bleeding of the
system after some driving by parking it nose down an incline and
bleeding from the radiator. I found that the Robinair fill system does
well and I rarely get air in the system. My car is mainly stock with
stock radiator and front Mariah fans. Regards, Mike Reilly
Text from the POCA article below:
First of all, the standard drain petcock leads to water going all over
the
place as you have experienced. But it's a very simple matter to
replace it
with one that has a hose barb; they are available at any good hardware
store. Then you can have a length of hose attached, and leave it in
place,
running full-width behind the radiator and secured at the other end
with a zip
tie. When you have to drain the system, you just hang the hose over
your
drain pan and open it up. Here's a photo of mine in place:
[2]http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=28741 (mike: not
sure if this link still works)
Also, you know there are a pair of drain plugs located at the lowest
point
in the engine block, right? One on each side. Pop those plugs out
to
drain the back half of the system. Water might splash against the
chassis
rails, but that's not the end of the world, especially if you've mostly
drained
the system from the front already.
You want three of these:
[3]http://napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=WH_6660_03677
51284
Brass Fitting - Drain Cock
http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=WH_6660_0367
751284
[cid:image001.png at 01D6197B.72A81C20]
[4]Close Close
[cid:image004.jpg at 01D6197C.1125B010]
Angled
[cid:image005.png at 01D6197B.72A81C20]
[cid:image001.png at 01D6197B.72A81C20]
[5]Close Close
[cid:image007.jpg at 01D6197C.1125B010]
Front
[cid:image005.png at 01D6197B.72A81C20]
Part Number: WH 6660
Product Line: Weatherhead
Attributes:
90 Straight Thread O-Ring Elbow Male Long Dimension N : 0.660 in (16.8
mm)
Brass Angle Bib Drain Dimension M1 : 1.010 in (25.7 mm)
Description : Angle Bib Drain
Dimension C : 0.562 in (14.3 mm)
Dimension L : 1.330 in (33.8 mm)
Dimension M : 0.620 in (15.7 mm)
Male Pipe Thread O.D. : 0.250 in (6.4 mm)
Material : Brass
Tube O.D. : 0.375 in (9.5 mm)
One in the bottom of the radiator as Mike Drew has shown you. Two more
in the engine block where the drain plugs are. Don't install a hose to
the ones on the block, you'll just slip one on when you need to.
Here is a photo of the passenger side engine drain plug. The safety
wire is to prevent it from opening accidentally on it's own.
[6]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=426215700731537&set=pb.123856
937634083.-2207520000.1347325802&type=1&theater (mike comment: Found
the link is now broken to this Facebook post)
Being able to attach a hose is -very- convenient. You can direct the
coolant exactly where you want it.
That will drain an overwhelming majority of the coolant from the car.
However, you will -still- have some in the under-car tubes. I think
the
best solution for that is similar to what you were thinking, some kind
of a bung so you can install either two more of these petcocks or just
a
plug. I'd put them at an angle so they were not straight down. Sure,
you won't get it -all- out, but most of it; enough so it doesn't make a
-big- mess.
*
[cid:image008.png at 01D6197C.1125B010]
I have a long, low drain pan that I put under the radiator. I find that
if you put a rag over the drain plug the coolant will follow it down
into the pan and not go all over the place. Then I just hose off the
bit that is left over and take the car for a drive to dry the area
From: [7]Himes, Terry (US 397C) via DeTomaso
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2020 10:35 AM
To: [8]detomaso at detomasolist.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] Time to drain the radiator
Pantera Team List,
SoCal will be experiencing no rain and 80deg temps this weekend!
Time to charge my battery and flush the radiator. Anyone out there
have any tips & tricks for the flush process? I vaguely remember there
are some things, but I'm gettin' old.
Terry
"A Purple Heart proves you were smart enough to hatch a plan,
stupid enough to try it and lucky enough to survive!"
Terry W. Himes
JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Deep Space Exploration - Mission Operations
Dawn Spacecraft Team
Europa Lander Science Support Team
TGO Sequence Lead
MEX Sequence Lead
Odyssey Sequence Team
Spitzer Space Telescope Data Team
Phone: (818) 393-6261
Cell: (818) 653-8213
thimes at jpl.nasa.gov<[9]mailto:thimes at jpl.nasa.gov>
[signature_117325739]
References
1. https://www.amazon.com/Robinair-75260-Coolant-Refiller-Preventer/dp/B001QFDRS0
2. http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=28741
3. http://napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=WH_6660_0367751284
4. javascript:$.fancybox.close()
5. javascript:$.fancybox.close()
6. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=426215700731537&set=pb.123856937634083.-2207520000.1347325802&type=1&theater
7. mailto:detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
8. mailto:detomaso at detomasolist.com
9. mailto:thimes at jpl.nasa.gov
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