I'm getting ready to change the coolant on my 100k mile 2000 Cavi 2.4L for the first time this weekend.
I have new DexCool 5r/150k mile ready to go.
My question is how to do it correctly. My plan is to:
1) Drain the coolant in the radiator out the petcock.
2) Stick a garden hose down the top radiator hose opening to flush it out.
3) Put radiator hose back on.
4) Fill with fresh water an let it circulate for a few minutes with the engine on.
5) Drain radiator again.
*** Is there an engine drain plug I can remove on the 2.4L?***
6) Fill with 5.5 qts of DexCool, then top it off with fresh water.
7) Button every thing up -DONE-
Did I miss any thing obvious? Like I said, this is the first time I have changed the coolant on this engine.
The engine has been remarkably trouble free, just oil and filter changes so far.
Thanks - Brad
Engine drain plug, not that I'm aware of. But while you're at it, I'd put a new thermostat in. Just to keep things clean (for a while).
Also, when draining the coolant, get a bucket or something to drain it in (you may need a couple). Draining it in the driveway and have it go down the storm drain = bad.
Other than that, your plan seems sound.
Where IS the thermostat on the 2.4L?
it is located at the water pump, it would probably be easier to get at it from underneath. i think it is in a pipe that goes right into the water pump from below it
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Will draining the system from the radiator petcock let me put back 5.5 qts of antifreeze?
im curious about this too...where is the drain to drain ALL of the coolant on the 2.4
Make sure you use "distilled" water when topping off. As it has no calcium in this water which can damage water pumps.
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I did mine at work using our machine, it basiclly uses the car to pump out the old fluid, and then you can draw the new fluid in, i filled mine up with Universal Coolant, works great, but mine took 11 though, thats what my book said, i dunno if its different for Auto tranny's or not.
Just pull the lower radiator hose (don't burn yourself) quicker and get's more coolant out.
I did the upper, and replaced that basted crimp typed clamp too with a normal screw on type, but also, our machine uses the upper hose too.
Just to report back, the coolant change on the 2.4 was easy. I pulled the bottom hose away from the water pump inlet pipe and drained the coolant into a bucket. I refilled with fresh water let it circulate for awhile and drained again. Then I refilled with 5 qts of DexCool and the system was full. Pretty easy. The 6 year old coolant still looked brand new, I probably didn't even need to change it.
Oh, I heard that using distilled water (mineral free) is not so good because the water will try to normalize itself (become non mineral free) and the only way to do that is to leach minerals out of the coolant pathway.
Quote:
Oh, I heard that using distilled water (mineral free) is not so good because the water will try to normalize itself (become non mineral free) and the only way to do that is to leach minerals out of the coolant pathway.
Really??? Never heard that before.
