Questioni was wondering if you could help me, i asked a previous question and you said about flushing the system, how do i do this? Thanks
AnswerIt's a simple job but you need to be familiar with all the components of the cooling/heating system and know how to open the clips on the various pipes and also be able to replace any clips that might break or are not reusable to start off with.
You also need a hosepipe.
first take the bottom pipe off the radiator, (take the pipe off where it connects to the radiator, leaving the pipe connected on the engine end only) do it with a cold engine.
Let the system empty.
Find the heater matrix pipes that go through the bulkhead/firewall, disconnect these so that you have the two rubber pipes coming out of the firewall (EG disconnect the pipes at the engine end, not the firewall end.
Leave one pipe hanging down where water spilling from it will not get on anything electrical or go over the engine.
Attach your hosepipe to the remaining pipe that goes into the heater matrix, turn on the tap.
Let the water flush through the matrix for a minute, then swap the pipes and flush it the other way.
Then reconnect the two pipes to their original locations. (if you don't have the manual it helps to take a photo when you start so you know what it should go back together like.
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The radiator can be flushed in the same way, the bottom pipe is already off... - take off the top pipe, leaving the pipe on the radiator (take the pipe off from the engine side only) then send water down the pipe (you can squeeze the pipe over the hosepipe to get a better seal, or use a cloth or something to bung it in so you can get some decent pressure - have someone turn the tap on high as you hold the pipe closed round the hosepipe)
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Now if you do the same to the first pipe you took off the radiator (the bottom pipe tjst emptied the system) you will flush the engine/water pump also. the water comes out of the front of the engine where you took off the "top" pipe form the radiator.
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refitting all pipes:
Any broken clips should be replaced with jubilee clips bought from a car parts shop, not a DIY shop, those ones are no good.
- first reattach the radiator bottom pipe.
- Then the radiator top pipe.
refill the system with around 50/50 cold water and summer coolant/antifreeze -
Squeeze all the pipes as you fill up the expansion tank, start the engine and let it idle once the system seems full, keep the top off the expansion tank and keep squeezing pipes and topping up as air comes out.
Once your'e sure all the air is out close the expansion tank and get the engine upto normal temp.
(five minute drive)
Check if the heater works now.
Also let the car Idle until the radiators cooling fan kicks in, ensure it does kick in not far past halfway on the temp gauge and that the temp then drops and the fan shuts off again (nothing is expected to be wrong, it's just best practice to do this after any work on the cooling system)
