# Changing Coolant



## jvaruzzo (Aug 23, 2003)

I'm replacing my thermostat and have to drain the coolant, I figured now is as good a time as any to put fresh coolant in. 

There were two things in the service manual that freaked me out a litlte bit, the first was the $200 service tool for bleeding the coolat system!
The second thing was the use of distilled water in the coolant mixture.

1) Is there a way to bleed the system without this very expensive service tool? I never even realized coolant systems were bled, I just imagined you drained out all the old, and filled it up with new!

2) Does the mixture have to be distilled water? Can it be softened tap water? I imagine hard water is bad because of the minerals.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Justin


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

How many miles are on the car and what does the coolant look like now? You may or may not have to bleed, but the flushing gets out most deposits.

SInce distilled water has nothing in it whatsoever, it is better than tap water. Tap water should never be ran.

When doing all this, also consider some Redline WaterWetter, it's good stuff.


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## jvaruzzo (Aug 23, 2003)

There are 107,000 miles on the car right now. The coolant doesn't look too bad at all, but I figured if I have to drain it anyway for the thermostat, I might as well just replace it, only an extra couple of bucks.

My main concern is the bleeding, I see there is the drain plug, and an air vent on the block, and some other bleed valve on the block. If I leave those open until coolant pours out of them, then seal them up, and fill the rest would I be ok, and not have to worry about bleeding? Or am I getting in over my head?

-Justin


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## [email protected] (Sep 5, 2005)

The only way to do this without special tools is to jack up front of car and run it long enough so the t-stat opens, reving it up to about 2k rpm's and releasing it and then squeezing the upper and lower hoses. If you can get a funnel that fits the radiator neck this will help from spillage and you will have a supply of coolant everytime an air bubble comes out. hope this helps


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## PixMan (Nov 6, 2005)

Zac said:


> How many miles are on the car and what does the coolant look like now? You may or may not have to bleed, but the flushing gets out most deposits.
> 
> SInce distilled water has nothing in it whatsoever, it is better than tap water. Tap water should never be ran.
> 
> When doing all this, also consider some Redline WaterWetter, it's good stuff.


Good advice....right up until "Redline WaterWetter". I dunno where you live Zac, but in NY, WaterWetter would be a surefire road to new freeze plugs. It gets cold up here, and WaterWetter is a coolant, but not an _antifreeze_-coolant.

I could be worng, of course, but the stuff used at the race track is as I say.


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