Trying to do a radiator flush had incorrect green need to get back to correct red coolant.

[Berlina&Jag guy]

So Ive run some flush for a few dozen kms and now Ive been just been flushing with hosetap water- trying to dilute the green mix out.

Ive got the demineralised water and GM correct Red stuff ready to go.

I'm not doing a thermostat out as too hard from the consensus I'm reading here.

My problem is every time I warm it up(drive round the block five times with the heater on full) and then get home and drop the bottom hose, reconnect and then go to fill up I'm only managing to get 3-4 litres in the top!! Obviously the book says it needs to be 10L all up.

Should I just make up a 50/50 demineralised water and red coolant mix and try and get as much in as possible. Problem is I'm guessing it will mostly still just be Sydney tap water in there. I guess a Holden dealership would use the fancy machine to force a rinse past the thermostat and then completely empty coolant from everywhere- but i cant even seem to get half the old dud green mix out.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[losh1971]

Can't help you with a method but you need to extract every bit of green coolant or it can block your rad when it mixes with the red gear. I just pay to have flushes done these days as rad techs have special equipment that agitates the water as it flushes and helps to remove sludge far better than a garden hose does.

 

[VS 5.0]

So Ive run some flush for a few dozen kms and now Ive been just been flushing with hosetap water- trying to dilute the green mix out.

Ive got the demineralised water and GM correct Red stuff ready to go.

I'm not doing a thermostat out as too hard from the consensus I'm reading here.

My problem is every time I warm it up(drive round the block five times with the heater on full) and then get home and drop the bottom hose, reconnect and then go to fill up I'm only managing to get 3-4 litres in the top!! Obviously the book says it needs to be 10L all up.

Should I just make up a 50/50 demineralised water and red coolant mix and try and get as much in as possible. Problem is I'm guessing it will mostly still just be Sydney tap water in there. I guess a Holden dealership would use the fancy machine to force a rinse past the thermostat and then completely empty coolant from everywhere- but i cant even seem to get half the old dud green mix out.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

IIRC @Ron Burgundy did an almost clear flush on his VF.

If he sees the tag he may be able to assist, otherwise look for his VF thread in the VF section.

 

[Berlina&Jag guy]

Thanks mate. Thats good info. I've heard its a BAD idea to have a red/green sludge happening. I'll just bite the bullet and go get a quote.
Just curious- what do you pay for a flush roughly in Tasmania- I reckon in Sydney no shop would do the flush only- they'll insist on the whole job including 200% markup on coolant and 2 hours at $150 for an apprentice to bleed it!
Just my inner cynic coming out.
Wish I lived in Tassie.

 

[losh1971]

Mine was $160 on the V8, this included new clamps and a new radiator cap.

 

[Berlina&Jag guy]

Man thats very very reasonable!

Forgot to say I've only go the alloytec- if the thermostat came out without having to half strip the motor it would be a basic job- but anyway.
Will update Sydney prices after a ring round tomorrow.

PS: Ron B post is great but again its for the 8

 

[Fu Manchu]

To do a thermostat well, you take out the gear box.

The best way is with a vacuum fill tool. These are the shizz. It’s how the cooling system is filled on the assembly line. Takes out all the coolant too.

Anyway the only other way is going to do quite a few flushes with distilled water only. It might take 4 or five fills and bleed it each time. That will get the air out which may also be trapping old coolant. Distilled water is cheap. At worst, you can still drive it to the workshop on distilled water.


A ghetto flush and air bleed method is shown here:
https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/vz-ve-vf-alloytec-cooling-system-repairs.279976/

 

[wannaeatyourbrains]

I will shoot myself in the head before I will pay $160 to clean the coolant system and change the coolant. It's god's truth. I can buy an airplane ticket to fly to a foreign country for that. I wig out paying $20 for the Dex-Cool.

The radiator only takes a minute to pull out in mine, and you can flip it upside down and reverse flush it with a hose that has good pressure, rinse it with distilled water, let it drain and dry.

What about if you pull the water pump off? Can you get all the coolant out of the block? Syphon it with a bit of fish tank hose or the like? Rinse and syphon a few times? Blast it out with distilled water in a good bug sprayer?

I never had to change mine, but when I changed the valve stem seals I noticed you can easy get to the thermostat when the intake block is removed, and you disconnect the coils and grounds and sensors and stuff and unbolt that harness at the back and move it out of the way. Thermostat is right there. I looked it all over multiple times while I was searching for collets. Has anyone had a go?

I will be drilling a hole in the engine before I pay $160 to change a bit of coolant ha ha.

 

[wannaeatyourbrains]

Yeah, I see in the manual you get the thermostat out like I say.

It sounds complicated, but the beauty of these cars is it is actually really easy. "Don't forget to wear your safety glasses when working with spring loaded devices." Solid advice there. Said One Eyed Jack.

 

[wannaeatyourbrains]

Here is the bit about flushing the engine. I reckon I could figure it out without spending anything near $160. What about a tub of distilled water just held higher than the motor? For some reason the apartment AC guys here have all the distilled water. They give me huge plastic bottles of it for nothing, so it can't cost much.