After I drain my coolant I want to flush it, the old fluid looks brown and nasty...

I haven't drained it yet, I'm doing it today after school, but I wanted to ask how to flush the radiator.

Can I just drain the coolant (remove the bottom radiator hose) then place a water hose through the radiator fill plug and let it go through all the way to the bottom hose?

My auto mechanics teacher said I could also remove the top hose of the radiator, use the water hose in that, let it run through the engine, then out the bottom radiator hose.

He also mentioned another way. Open up the radiator filler plug, run the water hose through the bottom radiator hose, then let it clean out in reverse.

What do you guys recommend? And do I need to run the vehicle while doing this?

 

If you can figure a way to reverse flush the radiator, that would be better than top down flush.

 

I've had good luck with the plastic 'T' you splice in to your heater hose and hook a garden hose to. Never tried it on a Discovery though.

 

So is removing the fill plug then using the water hose on the bottom of the radiator the better way to go? Or should I just do bottom and top haha

 

I would suggest replacing the plastic fill plug on the radiator with a brass plug. Just do not overtighten it.

If I was doing it, I would romeve the bottom and top hose, then duct tape the garden hose to the lower radiator outlet and back-flush the radiator. Might be a little messy, but Claire will love you for it.

 

Remove your thermostat, it is housed in this.
http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/ETC4596G.cfm
Yours will look alittle different but very similar, it is located ontop of the engine, just follow the upper radiator hose back to the engine.
Here is what the t-stat looks like.
http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/ETC4765GK.cfm
After you take that out put the t-stat housing back on.
Drain the coolant.
Put the lower hose back on.
Refill with water, start engine and turn heater on HOT.
Let the engine idle until you have heat.
Shut the engine off and let it cool for 15-20 min.
Drain.
Refill.
Repeat.
Keep doing this until nothing but clear water comes back out.
Once that is done install a new thermostat and gasket, you can get them at AutoZone, check the tech section for the gasket number.
You cant ask for a Disco gasket, they wont have one, you need to ask for the part number.

 

Ah see I did this a little after i did my last post on here. Here's what I did.
1) Removed Coolant Reservoir Cap

2) Removed Radiator Fill Plug

3) Took off the hose (OMFG HARDEST THING EVER, NO ELBOW SPACE TO DO IT!)
[Given it was also below freezing and I was outside in a zip up hoodie and jeans..lol]

4) Let it drain in a bucket

5) Water Hose was frozen and so was the water faucet outside so I used a 2 liter coke bottle (I've still been drinking them ) and filled it with water.

6) Kept pouring it in the coolant reservoir until it came out clean water, then I did that from the radiator fill plug.

7) Put the bottom hose back on

8) Filled up using the fill plug, closed it.

9) Filled up the reservoir, closed it.

10) DONE! And only frozen fingers, toes, and nose