Draining engine and supercharger coolant

Wwabbit · Feb 23, 2013

:confused I've searched all past posts but haven't found this issue. I'm draining the engine and supercharger cooling circuits today using the LH and RH radiator drain cocks as noted in the manual. Both systems together yielded about 6 gals of total coolant (~3 gal from each- should be over 6 from the engine alone). Manual says you will only get about 80% of the total system but that should mean at least 10 gal should drain in total. I vacuumed this thing back in the summer, surely there is not this much air in the system. Anybody else see this, or can tell me that I missed a step (yes, the caps are off the reservoirs). Thanks.

do I need to stand the car on it's nose?

nota4re · Feb 24, 2013

That's all you will get with just the cocks open on the heat exchangers. There's an Allen plug on each side of the block - just aft of the motor mount on each side. If you remove these plugs - Niagra Falls for days! (Careful, they make a mess - but -you'll get a LOT of coolant out.)

Wwabbit · Feb 24, 2013

nota4re said:
That's all you will get with just the cocks open on the heat exchangers. There's an Allen plug on each side of the block - just aft of the motor mount on each side. If you remove these plugs - Niagra Falls for days! (Careful, they make a mess - but -you'll get a LOT of coolant out.)

Holy crap, you're kidding. So I guess the manual is describing simply a radiator drain and not a coolant system drain. The block won't have any issues refilling with the Radkit you think? Is there a supercharger drain somewhere too? I'm moving to a water/water wetter test for next weekend as a test and want to get as much of the 50/50 mix out as I can. Thanks, Kendall.

nota4re · Feb 24, 2013

No, the block will refill fine with the Radkit. No supercharger drain - don't worry about that as the volume is samll in comparison.

Good luck with the water wetter. I did a lot of tests with it when I stuffed a 5.7L Hemi into a new Jeep Wrangler back in 2003. I thought my tests were pretty scientifc and my conclusion was that I'd never waste money on it again. YMMV

2112 · Feb 24, 2013

nota4re said:
Good luck with the water wetter. I did a lot of tests with it when I stuffed a 5.7L Hemi into a new Jeep Wrangler back in 2003. I thought my tests were pretty scientifc and my conclusion was that I'd never waste money on it again. YMMV

This sounds very interesting.

Did you post your results here on this forum?

Wwabbit · Feb 24, 2013

At least I'll be proficient at draining the cooling system. Thanks for the help.

steved57 · Feb 25, 2013

And where do you think you will be testing next weekend Mr Wabbit ?

Wwabbit · Feb 25, 2013

steved57 said:
And where do you think you will be testing next weekend Mr Wabbit ?

Victor India Romeo, sir.

nota4re said:
... If you remove these plugs - Niagra Falls for days! (Careful, they make a mess - but -you'll get a LOT of coolant out.)

That's an understatement. If anybody else does this, get a kids wading pool, a mask and snorkel.

fjpikul · Feb 25, 2013

Sorry, but I thought the idea of changing the coolant was to open the petcocks at the radiator, drain what you could, and then suck all the old stuff out from the whole system through the cannister with fresh, appropriate coolant coming from the radiator drains. This is this best way to replace and assure there are no bubbles in the system? Why pull the block plugs when the vacuum system is supposed to do the work for you?

nota4re · Feb 25, 2013

Sorry, but I thought the idea of changing the coolant was to open the petcocks at the radiator, drain what you could, and then suck all the old stuff out from the whole system through the cannister with fresh, appropriate coolant coming from the radiator drains. This is this best way to replace and assure there are no bubbles in the system? Why pull the block plugs when the vacuum system is supposed to do the work for you?

Not the way that the RadKit works, Dr. Frank.

AJK · Feb 25, 2013

If you pull the plugs on the block do you have to do the radiator drains too? If you want to do the supercharger coolant what is the best way?

AJK

Wwabbit · Feb 26, 2013

AJK said:
If you pull the plugs on the block do you have to do the radiator drains too? If you want to do the supercharger coolant what is the best way?

AJK

Do them all. You get 3-4 gal from the radiators and associated plumbing and 3-4 gal from the block. For the supercharger, there is only the radiator petcock unless you start pulling some hoses off. Because the new fluid was a different color, I could see the color changes flow into the reservoirs when I started the engine. The engine circuit had very little old coolant left in its system, but the s/c circuit had at least 50% old fluid remaining. To get more out would have required more surgery I suppose. If you pull the block plugs, study it a bit and work out your catch system. It pours out a solid 1/2" stream pretty good for about minute then quickly ends in a dribble.

topshot · Feb 26, 2013

John,
I am interested in your results, hope it helps. Have fun at VIR

Kurt

Wwabbit · Feb 26, 2013

topshot said:
John,
I am interested in your results, hope it helps. Have fun at VIR

Kurt

Thanks. Was Pahrump fun? Did you see the BAC Mono?

2112 · Feb 26, 2013

The Ford Powerstroke guys install these at the engine block drain sites so that future drains can be controlled with a hose;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/F106N-14mm-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3ccdd732bf&vxp=mtr

I am not sure what the correct size for the FGT block would be. They can be had with the nipple needed for the drain line.

Howard · Feb 26, 2013

I've used these Fumoto Valves on my 911. They are reliable, convenient and inexpensive. I've purchased some for my FGT since my last oil change and have not installed them yet. I forget the P/N for the GT. I'm in Florida now and cannot check. Note that the Fumoto Valves are typically used in the sump or reservoir area of the oil system (no pressure). Using them in a pressurized cooling system....well, you may be on your own there. Do more research.

Howard

topshot · Feb 26, 2013

Spring mountain was great, never did see the mono, there was a lot of stuff going on.

Wwabbit · Feb 26, 2013

2112 said:
The Ford Powerstroke guys install these at the engine block drain sites so that future drains can be controlled with a hose;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/F106N-14mm-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3ccdd732bf&vxp=mtr

I am not sure what the correct size for the FGT block would be. They can be had with the nipple needed for the drain line.

For sure some drain ports would be handy down there. Thanks for the post on that.

AJK · Feb 26, 2013

Wwabbit said:
Do them all. You get 3-4 gal from the radiators and associated plumbing and 3-4 gal from the block. For the supercharger, there is only the radiator petcock unless you start pulling some hoses off. Because the new fluid was a different color, I could see the color changes flow into the reservoirs when I started the engine. The engine circuit had very little old coolant left in its system, but the s/c circuit had at least 50% old fluid remaining. To get more out would have required more surgery I suppose. If you pull the block plugs, study it a bit and work out your catch system. It pours out a solid 1/2" stream pretty good for about minute then quickly ends in a dribble.

Thanks for the reply. Do the engine plugs come out easy or do they require any special procedures ?

nota4re · Feb 26, 2013

Thanks for the reply. Do the engine plugs come out easy or do they require any special procedures ?

They come out easy enough but you should use a thread sealant when re-installing.

Draining engine and supercharger coolant

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