Hi Everyone,

Today I flushed my cooling system, then replaced the radiator and thermostat. Instead of the cascade flush, I just used a Prestone flush bought at O-Reillys.

I put the flush in with water, ran for 10 minutes, then drained. I then refilled with just water, ran for 10 minutes then drained. I then replaced the radiator and thermostat, and filled with 50/50.

Here's where I get concerned. I only put in about 7 liters of coolant before it came out of the bleed screw. The RAVE manual states that a dry refill should take 13 liters. Where is that other 6 liters? Is it all air? Or do I have 7 liters of 50/50 and 6 liters of oild coolant, tap water and radiator flush chemical in the Disco?

Is there any other way to get more fluid out? I'm getting ready to just drain it again and try to get more out. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

If you are in a hurry, send me your number and I'll call you back.

 

How did you drain the old coolant? Did you just pull off the bottom radiator hose or did you take both drain plugs out of the block? There my still be coolant if you didn't pull the block plugs.

Also, Is your radiator new? It my be plugged up with gunk.

 

OK - so I was able to at least half resolve the problem yesterday. Essentially, what I did was disconnect the top hose at the inlet to the radiator, and just ran a garden hose into the radiator while directing the top hose to a catch tank and let the truck idle. I did this until the water coming out was clear.

I then pulled the bottom hose again and drained as much fluid as possible, then refilled with 100% coolant to replace the water that had drained.

So, now, at least I no longer have radiator flush in the car, and just coolant and tap water. I am going to test the mix today to see what the ratio is.

I do want to get rid of the tap water, however, so I foresee me doing a full drain with the engine block taps sometime in the very near future.

 

The heater core and related hoses will hold some of that fluid. From what you did so far, it seems that the entire system was never fully empty. Alot of european cars use a coolant bottle extension neck for bleeding purposes to ensure that you maintain the highest elevation to allow all the air out once the thermostat opens. Get the LR to operating temp with the resevoir cap off and extension installed. Most of the air will rise to the top and allow coolant level to settle lower. Thus you add more until level. Reinstall cap and highway test with heat on. You have done most of that already, however without the extension neck. This at least will address any trapped air that you might have in the system.Please post a follow up with what you find.

 

Thanks for your reply - as far as I can tell, I was able to get all air out of the system after finishing the job two days ago.

This morning, I took the bleed screw off, lifted up the coolant reservoir with the cap off and coolant flowed out of the bleed screw (note - the engine was cold and off). I then put everything back together, went for a drive, and had no waterfall sound and full heat from the heater.

 

sounds like good progress