Just had a quick question on flushing the coolant on a 04. Do you need to remove the splash guard in order to disconnect the bottom hose? Everything the i've read so far doesn't include this step. Maybe it's only on the 04s? thanks

 

Throw it out.

 

Yes you do.

 

Do yourself a favor and remove and throw the shield away, in some cases it will make your engine run hotter.
Do you know how to bleed the air from the system when done, and depending on your mileage, have you considered changing you t/stat as part of the process?

 

Thanks for the replies guys, I plan on doing this sometime this week. Yes i read the thread by Spike in the DIY section on bleeding out the air. I've also read you might as well replace the thermostat while the hoses are disconnected. I will look into that.

 

I just completed a head gasket job on my 04, and because of that damn splash guard we didn't drain the coolant, instead put a shop vac on the radiator hose and the coolant inlet in the lower manifold and sucked most of the coolant out.

So I could cut out the splash guard?

Theres nothing in the 04 that its protecting? My neighbor's 99 doesn't have one, but before I cut it out I thought that it might be in the 04 because of updated wiring, SAI wires, etc. idk.

 

The splash guard unscrews and maybe has a couple clips. They come on all DIIs but most of us throw them away as the only purpose they seem to serve is to collect oil and dirt.

 

I've unscrewed all the bolts, but it seems pretty form fitted to the frame, sway bar and other suspension components so I havnen't been able to remove it.

 

I had the same problem and just took a dremmel to it - not saying you should but that is what I did.