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Anyone here with the DIY for coolant replacement ? Do you have to let the thermostat open first before draining to ensure all the coolant is removed ? Is flushing with water necessary ?

 
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1. i guess you can try now by reading the manual book on your glove box and start using "search button"

2. i think u just have to open the drain valve under the car to let all the coolant flush out...it's all on your manual book....chapter: maintenance

3. i don't think it's a good idea to flush it with water....go to wal-mart and look for bottles of water collant flushing system...and don't forget to replace it with honda genuine coolant...or something better...

 
Rep Power: 321

Letting out the coolant in your radiator by removing the plastic drain plug gets out like 50% of your coolant. The other half is still in your engine and you need to flush it out, usually with water.

Go to a auto parts store and ask for a coolant flushing kit; it will be very helpful.

I highly recommend you take it to a shop to have it done.
The coolant is very hazardous to the environment and if you have any pets they may get sick or die if they get it into their system.

 
Rep Power: 305

its not too hard changing the coolant. unplug the drain at the bottom of the radiator and when all of the stuff is out, start your car and turn on the heat. sitck the hose at the top of the radiator and let the water run with the heat on for a little bit. when you're done, bolt back in the plug and fill it with coolant with the car running. keep topping off the fluid because eventually some will go into the engine.

the only thing i dont know is where the breather valve for the coolant is. its used to let excess air out of the system so you dont have air pockets. anyone know where the valve is???

 
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Feed the coolant to your animals after, its really good for them, it helps kill bacteria and fleas n shyt. Good luck man

 
Rep Power: 310

Step 1: Find hose
Step 2: open coolant cap
Step 3: stick one end of hose down coolant container and put other end of hose in mouth
Step 4: suck a mouth full of coolant and spit it out into a waiting container
Step 5: proceed the sucking method until no coolant remaining
Step 6: get new coolant and pour into coolant container

 
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Around here we are supposed to dispose of coolant by putting it down the toilet. That water gets treatment at a water treatment plant. DO NOT let it go down into the rain sewer, that is so bad for the environment. DO NOT let pets or small kids drink it. It tastes sweet but it will kill if enough is taken in.

 
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There is also a bolt on the back of the block near the oil filter. I believe this allows you to drain the fluid from the block if you want to flush it out completely.

 
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This bolt is a real pain to reach that is why I was thinking of the below method:

1. Open radiator cap
2. Start engine and idle till normal engine temperature(thermostat opens)
3. Turn off engine
4. Remove drain plug(supposedly drains all the coolant including that in block as thermostat is open)
5. Plug in drain plug and top up coolant to the brim
6. Start engine
7. Idle and let the coolant settle to a constant level(To remove air from system as water pump circulates the new coolant through the block)
8. When no more bubbles appear at the top, replace radiator cap.

Only problem is removing the drain plug when the coolant is at very high temperatures. Anyone with comments on this ?

 
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I usually let the dealership do it, it saves me a huge mess and work, even though I have to pay for it but at least it is done properly. At least I think so :P

 
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i really dont think you wanna run your car to the normal operating temperature and then do anything related to your coolant. the system is supposed to be under pressure when the car gets warmed up and you could probably burn yourself. thats why you never open the cap of the radiator when the car is hot, cuz steam will shoot out and scold you.

 
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How much coolant is needed if I have flushed the radiator.

 
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Should be 4 litres including a total drainage of the block. But the drain bolt on the block is very inaccessible for a DIY job.

 
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where is the drain bolt? Is it located at the engine? The picture drawn in the hand book is very unclear.

 
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es8 Alan,

The coolant drain plug on the block is located very near the oil filter. Like previous posters noted, it's in a really tight space. I believe its a 17mm (or 19mm) bolt. It's also locked in with permatex, which makes removing so much more of a pain. It took me a combination of socket, u-joint, extension, breaker bar and a heck of a lot of yanking to get it off.

 
Rep Power: 812

There will still be some coolant remaining in the block, but most of it will come out. I still have some bubbles in the system after the change.

 
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I drain and refill my coolant every summer...might be overkill but I never have to flush my engine Been doing this with all my cars, never a cooling problem...oh, and for thermostats, I change those every 50,000 miles...they are cheap