Coolant Drain Plug Location

Site Subscriber Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 728

Oi Thicko is what I'm expecting here. Very Happy

I've been reading my Haynes (I know!) about draining coolant as I'm hopfully flushing my system out this week.

My problem is I cannot seem to find the Coolant drain plug. It just says near the cylinder block.

1st - Where is the cylinder block (my car knowledge is zippo)?
2nd - Where is the Drain Plug?
3rd - I don't appear to have a bleed screw on my rad!

Here's some pics if they are any use

Cheers again
Iain

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

ppffft, coolant drain plug! Just pull off the bottom hose and be done with it.

Site Subscriber Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 728

Cracking that's one prob sorted then! Cheers Neal Cool

. Just need to sort out the bleeding of the air without having a radiator bleed screw Crying or Very sad

I seemto remember Chris saying something earlier today in another post about filling the cooland whist on a slope. I'll be doing this whole job at my Grandfather's. Whose driveway is on a 1:5 slope. Wou;d this be steep enough to stop air locks?

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

yes but you neednt worry about that, its a 16v problem really due to the design of the coolant system on them.

Bleed screw is at the top of the rad...somewhere. Wink

Site Subscriber Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 728

Yeah I found where the bleed screw should be. It's that thing in the last photo. No idea how to open it though, it's just a tiny hexagonal thing that don't seem to turn. Confused

Spammer Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 5717

what car is it?
i think you will have to unscrew it with an allan key

Site Subscriber Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 728

It's a 1.9 TD old rad had a screw on it. But fook knows what one they replaced it with it looks like it needs something like a radiator key you'd you on your central heating but a lot smaller

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Im pretty sure the new rads have a screw on em too

Site Subscriber Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 728

This is the sort of shape of the thing i need to turn

I'll have another look for the screw but this is what is in the place of where the screw was on the old rad.

Be amazed by my photoshop skillz! Shocked

Edit: The hexagonal/octagonal thing stick out about 3mm, it's no t a hole so allan key won't fit

Spammer Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 5717

yes thats what i was saying ,an allan key is not it ?
in fact i do have a good set of them ,they are cheap as chips

Retroholic Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 5685

1. Its your engine
2. I could tell you but you still wouldn't find it
3. OK

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

get that cam cover gasket changed and then clean the engine!

the drain plug on the block shears in all manner of intresting ways so leave it alone.

On a td the normal bleed screw thumb thingy will be on the other side of the rad.

Site Subscriber Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 728

Still can't find the "bleedin" bleed screw. Only screw I can find is on the bottom of the left of the rad????

While I'm sorting out this problem is it ok to use just water in the coolant system until I've sorted it all then fill it anti-freeze mix?

Chars
Iain

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

yes plain water will be ok as a stop gap until you sort the leaks.