Now that your 2000 Buick has been on the road for more than a decade, it's time to flush the radiator to avoid any unforeseen issues that could cause catastrophic engine failure. Don't take your Buick to a repair facility and pay a lot of money to have the radiator flushed. Doing the job yourself with basic automotive tools saves money and gives you the satisfaction of knowing the job was done right.
Drive your Buick onto a set of wheel ramps and secure the emergency break. Place a wheel chuck behind the rear tire to prevent the Buick from rolling backwards while you work on it.
Open the engine bay hood and allow the engine to cool off. Remove the radiator cap to relieve pressure on the cooling system.
Place a drain pan under the petcock (drain) of the radiator. Turn the drain counterclockwise to open it. If the drain does not move, turn it with pliers. Allow all of the fluid to drain into the pan.
Place the drain pan under the location where the lower radiator hose connects to the radiator.
Remove the clip that secures the hose to the radiator with a pair of pliers. Slide the clip back and pull the hose free from the radiator. Drain the hose into the radiator.
Place the fluid from the drain pan into a larger storage container. The container must be able to hold 5 to 10 gallons of fluid. Place the drain pan back under the radiator.
Place a garden hose into the radiator and clean the inside walls of the radiator until the water draining from the radiator is clean. Empty the drain pan as necessary. It could take several gallons of water to clean the radiator depending on the degree of sludge.
