So I drained the coolant by removing the lower radiator hose (BTW- maybe a novice mistake but getting my hands in there to both loosen the clamp and fasten the hose is a real PITA- anyone have a special clamp tool or method for making this easier?). I then went through the flush process as suggested on the forums by idling or driving for 15 minutes or so with plain water, then draining again and repeating the process until fairly clear water only came out. I had to do this multiple times, and I fear I wasn't getting all the fluid to drain. Question- should the front end be elevated for better drain, or conversely the rear? I think I read elsewhere that someone used pressurized air somehow, and another ran his garden hose into the res while running to aid this process.
I know for a fact that I didn't get it all because when refilling with fresh coolant I only needed a little under 2 gallons, and I'm pretty sure it takes 3 gallons?
Finally, I'm wondering if the "leave res cap off and run heater full blast to remove air in cooling system method" applies to everytime the res cap is removed? I ask this because I had to top off the res a few more times after refilling.

 

These:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00947390000P

There is coolant in the block and heads you are not getting out. There are block drains but they are a pain in the *** to get to. Yes you can use an air compressor to blow the water out of the block and heater. You are bleeding it wrong also btw. The car does not even need to be on to get all the air out. Raise the expansion tank on the battery box and fill up, loosen the coolant bleed screw and let the air bubble out. Refill the expansion tank and clip it back on.

 

Do not use air pressure, if anything, a good shop will draw down a vacuum to remove all the air before adding coolant.
Never try to bleed the system with the engine running, but when cold and off.
Might want to read up on the proper procedure for bleeding the system.

 

Yeah you could damage your radiator with air pressure. Says so in the RAVE manual, good reading, btw and free.

 

The DII cooling system only takes ~2 gallons, there is less than a half gallon of water still in the engine that you did not get out.
When all said and done to a test on the freeze protection of the coolant, as long as it is in the -20 range you are fine.

You only need to bleed the system if it was low enough to get air in it, so just opening the cap and top off or check the level does not mean you need to bleed it again.
If you hear the "waterfall" sound in the dash then yes you need to bleed the system.

 

No one even mentioned the radiator we were speaking of the block, which is designed to be under pressure.

 

If you dump pressure to the block and all the hoses are hooked up, you are them pressurizing the radiator also!!!

 

Yes thank you for stating the obvious mike. For those not getting the picture here if you remove the top hose from the engine and the remove the thermostat you can blow in a couple quick bursts of compressed air (and yes turn down the regulator pressure) or if you don't have a compressor you can use the old lung power and blow the water out the water pump. This is for those who want to drain as much as they can from the block and heads but don't want to mess with the block drains.