Draining coolant

[Kernie]

I need to replace the coolant in my superlite. I have the Airlift II system (thanks Fran) to replace the coolant, but I'm trying to figure out how to evacuate all the existing coolant. If I drain from the radiator I think I'm leaving a few gallons in (coolant lines, block). Can anyone suggest the best place to disconnect and drain. Should I raise the front of the car and disconnect near the block?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Will Campbell]

Depending on how the coolant lines are run, I'd lift the front of the car as you suggested, and drain them at the rear.

After the front was empty, I'd drop the front, and lift the rear to drain out what was possible from the engine.

Unless the old coolant has been contaminated somehow, leaving a bit in doesn't really hurt much. The liquid in the coolant doesn't wear out, it's the additives that eventually need replacement, and replacing most of the coolant with new accomplishes that.

 

[Alex]

you could always drain it, drive it for a day or two, then drain again if you want to be super anal. but leaving some old coolant behind isn't going to be fatal.

My dad never changed the coolant on any of his vehicles; he'd do 10-15yrs, original coolant, 300-400kmiles on the engine with no issues, just oil changes every 5k. I'm not saying it's a good idea to leave coolant in forever, but that it isn't the end of the world and if you're getting electrolysis or something happening, you should be addressing the cause.

 

[Kernie]

Thanks Alex and Will.

Here is my rationale for changing the coolant.

Its 96 with high humidity here in Atlanta recently.
On the highway - car runs well about 190-195 degrees.
Any stop and go and/or red lights and the temperature creeps up to 210.
My pyrometer reads the temperature about 10 degrees hotter than the gauge so I suspect I'm actually getting near 220.

I have an electric boost pump coming off the radiator along with the engine pump and I continually get a high temperature alarm when the weather is hot. Additionally I have two 14" fans on the radiator to help things out.

I bought 7 gallons of BeCool antifreeze. it is supposed to have special "properties" that help cooling. Additionally, my top radiator hose is worn and needs replacing, so I thought I would do it all at one time.

Temperatures in below 90 and I don't seem to have any problems.

As a side note, I have the Riccardo transaxle and 2nd gear won't engage until the temperature (oil) gets to 210. Then it's smooth shifting, but any cooler than that and it's clunky and I have to do a lot of 1st to 3rd shifting.

I was going to start on it today, but it's too hot to be crawling around in the garage. Maybe in the morning.

Thanks again for the advise - I'll update with my progress.

Regards,

Kernie

 

[Al Wohlstrom]

Sounds strange about Ricardo 2nd gear, mine shifts fine no matter the temp, need a little cable adjustment maybe?

 

[Scott Rowland]

Thanks Alex and Will.

Here is my rationale for changing the coolant.

Its 96 with high humidity here in Atlanta recently.
On the highway - car runs well about 190-195 degrees.
Any stop and go and/or red lights and the temperature creeps up to 210.
My pyrometer reads the temperature about 10 degrees hotter than the gauge so I suspect I'm actually getting near 220.

I have an electric boost pump coming off the radiator along with the engine pump and I continually get a high temperature alarm when the weather is hot. Additionally I have two 14" fans on the radiator to help things out.

I bought 7 gallons of BeCool antifreeze. it is supposed to have special "properties" that help cooling. Additionally, my top radiator hose is worn and needs replacing, so I thought I would do it all at one time.

Temperatures in below 90 and I don't seem to have any problems.

As a side note, I have the Riccardo transaxle and 2nd gear won't engage until the temperature (oil) gets to 210. Then it's smooth shifting, but any cooler than that and it's clunky and I have to do a lot of 1st to 3rd shifting.

I was going to start on it today, but it's too hot to be crawling around in the garage. Maybe in the morning.

Thanks again for the advise - I'll update with my progress.

Regards,

Kernie

More flow does not mean more cooling. If fluids pass through the rads faster, heat may not be exchanged well enough. A boost pump should be added after it is confirmed flow was not enough.
By pyromoeter, I assume egt. BeCool additives or the like- will read higher temps than before, since you are pulling more temp out of the motor, and a correctly mounted gauge sensor should be after the motor on it's way to the radiator. It will read higher, but, that is good.
To test all of it (and if curiousity comsumes) add a temp meter on the engine inlet. That is the only way to properly diagnose.

 

[Will Campbell]

Thanks Alex and Will.

Here is my rationale for changing the coolant.

Its 96 with high humidity here in Atlanta recently.
On the highway - car runs well about 190-195 degrees.
Any stop and go and/or red lights and the temperature creeps up to 210.
My pyrometer reads the temperature about 10 degrees hotter than the gauge so I suspect I'm actually getting near 220.

I have an electric boost pump coming off the radiator along with the engine pump and I continually get a high temperature alarm when the weather is hot. Additionally I have two 14" fans on the radiator to help things out.

I bought 7 gallons of BeCool antifreeze. it is supposed to have special "properties" that help cooling. Additionally, my top radiator hose is worn and needs replacing, so I thought I would do it all at one time.

Temperatures in below 90 and I don't seem to have any problems.

As a side note, I have the Riccardo transaxle and 2nd gear won't engage until the temperature (oil) gets to 210. Then it's smooth shifting, but any cooler than that and it's clunky and I have to do a lot of 1st to 3rd shifting.

I was going to start on it today, but it's too hot to be crawling around in the garage. Maybe in the morning.

Thanks again for the advise - I'll update with my progress.

Regards,

Kernie

Go ahead and change the coolant, as if it's original, it's been in there for a few years, and new coolant is probably a good thing.

But I don't think that 210 is too high for an LS engine. These engines are designed to run temps that in older engines, would be considered a problem-- but in an LS, are well within normal range.

I've seen this a lot, with people very concerned about what they see as abnormally high temps, followed by a series of steps to remedy the situation. In most cases, it's not needed. Your numbers don't strike me as too high, just the normal temp range for a modern computer-controlled emissions-aware LS engine.

Just as a data point, using products like Evans coolant allows engines to run much higher temps without boiling. The point is that high temps are well-tolerated by the engine as long as the coolant isn't boiling anywhere, creating hotspots in the head.

 

[Troy Truglio]

You can try to add water wetter as that can help, but if it only gets to 210 that really is not something I would worry about. I see up to 230 sometimes in my race car when I forgot to turn on the fans and no issues. You could also look at a higher pressure cap to make the boiling point a bit higher to help if needed.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

Just as a data point, using products like Evans coolant allows engines to run much higher temps without boiling. The point is that high temps are well-tolerated by the engine as long as the coolant isn't boiling anywhere, creating hotspots in the head.

This is the primary reason I run my coolant directly from the pump into the heads first (rather than the OEM block first configuration). With a well-sealed shroud that I made out of aluminum sheet, the two 14" fans keep my engine plenty cool (190-200) even on our Arkansas 98º days. Never turns the fans on until a minute or two at the stoplight.

 

[Kernie]

**UPDATE**

Coolant swap is finished.

4.5 Gallons of BeCool later, car seems to be running 10-12 degrees cooler than before. Not very scientific I admit - but initial testing shows I am running in the 180 range now where before i was almost always above 190.

Thanks again for all the information and assistance - It was greatly appreciated.

FYI - The Airlift Vacuum System is a lifesaver.