Radiator flush?

[thedeadpoet000]

has there been a DIY posted to do a radiator flush on the Fit?

I know where the drain bolt is for the radiator but my main question was how to empty the coolant from the reservoir.
Do I just remove it(the whole reservoir) and pour out the contents or is there an easier way?
Also, to empty out the coolant from the radiator, do I just take off the drain bolt, let it all out, bolt back, and pour in new coolant?
Is there anything else I need to do?

[Fit of RAGE]

yeah, all you do is open the rad cap, undo the rad drain plug. take the rez. completely out and dump it. Then put the rad drain plug back in and start filling the coolant up. Easy!

[SSM0423]

Originally Posted by thedeadpoet000

has there been a DIY posted to do a radiator flush on the Fit?

I know where the drain bolt is for the radiator but my main question was how to empty the coolant from the reservoir.
Do I just remove it(the whole reservoir) and pour out the contents or is there an easier way?
Also, to empty out the coolant from the radiator, do I just take off the drain bolt, let it all out, bolt back, and pour in new coolant?
Is there anything else I need to do?

Are you flushing out JUST the radiator or the coolant that's also in the engine too? They sell over-the-counter flush kits that you hook up to a garden hose to flush out ALL the coolant, not just the radiator. Food for thought. Just make sure, you get all the air out of the cooling system before putting the cap back on or you'll overheat.

[thedeadpoet000]

how much do those flush kits cost, and are they complicated? I thought all the coolant in the engine would eventually flow into the radiator once i unbolted the plug, but i guess not.

could i do a couple of flushes for the radiator to get all the coolant swapped?

[thedeadpoet000]

lol P yes yes i am newbish. thx for the advice though.

[Carbuff2]

Originally Posted by claymore

Those "coolant kits" for flushing don't work all that well. Think about it the minute normal temperature water hits the thermostat it CLOSES so no water circulation.

Actually the intended spot to install those Flushing Tees is on a heater coolant hose, just behind the thermostat.

This way you flush through the heater and radiator cores. Yes the thermostat will be closed but the fresh water will enter the cooling system just after the thermostat, and exiting at the radiator cap, a few inches from the other side of the thermostat..

I used to put them on every car I owned, but no longer. Why? Because I use distilled water in my cooling systems now, not tap water.

PS the blue Honda coolant is supposed to last 120K miles. And you should not mix the Honda coolant with any other brand. (Per Honda)

[manxman]

I agree with Carbuff2-
He accurately describes how and why the flushing tees work. I have also used the flush system on at least 10 cars/trucks, but will not use one on my Fit for the same reason as Buff.

[sonorliteman]

Originally Posted by Carbuff2

I used to put them on every car I owned, but no longer. Why? Because I use distilled water in my cooling systems now, not tap water.
(Per Honda)

An excellent point...this is a key to keeping your cooling system & engine block free from deposits & buildup. Or use pre-dilluted stuff.

On my old 95 Civic, previous owners did not use distilled, & the radiator had build up a coating of white calcium deposits that no amount of flush could remove...couldn't imagine what the block core looked like.

[thedeadpoet000]

thx. the reason i want to do this flush is b/c all my coolant leaked out when i put in my old Fujita CAI and i had to replace it with prestone. now i wanted to go buy some honda coolant and replace it back. i wanted to do this so that if something happened to the radiator, they can't blame the different coolant and wiggle out of the warranty.

does anyone know how much the coolant costs at a honda dealership?