CivicN3wb

I'm trying to change my timing belt right now and part of that process is draining the coolant out of the radiator. I just bought this car last week and didn't notice until I tried draining the coolant today that the radiator drain plug is right up against the frame and looks to be impossible to get out. Here is a picture:





See how the plug is right up against that black metal piece (the frame?).

Question 1: This doesn't look good Do you think it is the frame or the radiator that is bent?

Question 2: How do I drain the coolant if I can't get the drain plug out? I need to drain the coolant so that I can change the water pump.

PLEASE HELP!!

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

Id start by releasing the car off the jack then getting at the plug. if that does not work:

Aftermarket radiator FAIL. They probably installed it with the plug already installed... Your kinda gonna make a mess but pull the lower rad hose with something enormous underneath to catch the coolant. Disconnect it from the radiator itself.

Or you can just keep trying to wiggle that thing out.

CivicN3wb

Thanks for your reply BlueEM2.

Where is the lower radiator hose located? I'm looking for it but don't see it. Would removing the drain bolt behind the oil filter work as well?

ezone

What I would do (on a customers car, because I didn't create the radiator drainplug problem):

Just ignore the drainplugs and yank the water pump off.
(Put the drain pan under it.)
I actually remove all but one bolt, then turn out the last bolt 4 or 5 turns, and pop the pump loose. It's a controlled leak now.
Remove after the coolant has drained from the block.
Rinse off the antifreeze mess with a garden hose before reassembly.


And yes, that is what I really do every time.
Simple.

HTH

CivicN3wb

I take back my previous comment about not being able to locate the hose. I was looking in the wrong place, and I believe I see it now (it's BIG, right?)

When you say to rinse off the antifreeze, do you mean do a flush of the system with a garden hose (i.e. run the water from the hose in to the fill cap to flush the old antifreeze out) or the outside of the engine where the antifreeze runs out after I pull the pump?

Thanks for your advice!

ezone

You can flush whatever you want while the cooling system is opened up.


I said rinse off the MESS. Yanking the pump off will make a MESS even if you managed to drain the radiator first.

That MESS means external, you want clean clean clean when you install the timing belt.
Rinse off the crank pulley and everything that got antifreeze spilled on it when you pulled the pump off.
The lifespan of the timing belt depends on staying clean and dry. (Fresh clean water will not hurt it though.)

For anyone else reading this and maybe working on an older car: Shove the valve cover back on and stick the dipstick tube back in its hole (where applicable) so you don't get water in the crankcase.

HTH