How to flush a '04 Nissan Xterra...

[SuperDave456]

So, I have been trying to figure this out. This is my Wife's car, we have been married about 18 months and I happened to ask her tonight if she has ever flushed the X. She had no idea what I was talking about and the car has 59,000 miles on it.
The Xterra's main lower radiator hose it a royal pain to get to, and the only thing that resembles a drain plug is a large hexagonal nut with a screw driver slot in the bottom of the radiator.
Before I go and pull this nut out is there anything I need to know about this?

Any idea on what type of fluid I should use?

 

[Chris142]

Stay away from the heater hoses on this one. The heater pipes that stick out of the firewall are plastic and are easily broken.

 

[SuperDave456]

That is exactly the information that I am looking for.

Everything under there is pretty tight. Sure there is room here and there, but no real working room on the parts that you want to get to.

I probably need to search though other forums to make sure I don't jack something up. This ain't your daddy's '78 F-150, lots of plastic and things you don't want to break.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[hate2work]

Dave, you might consider doing one or maybe two drain and refills rather than a flush. Given the relative low mileage and (what seems to be) the difficulty of doing a flush on this rig, that's what I'd do for now. That will buy you some time to do more research into the proper way to flush this beast

 

[Sayjac]

Here is procedure I generally follow when I do a distilled flush. I have done it twice now on my 03 Nissan Altima. It's basically a distilled water flush series, with the final fill of full strength coolant and distilled water to a 50% concentration. You will need to check your owners manual for your system capacity. You only need you to open your radiator drain plug with this method.

As for the coolant, well that's up to you. You could check with the dealer for Nissan green, but from my experience it's high priced stuff. Another choice is Peak Global Lifetime if you can find it and in full strength, not always easy.
Another choice recently mentioned here is Peak Professional Lifetime at Pep Boys, supposed to be the same as Peak GL.

What I'm using is Peak Long Life full strength, and before that I used Prestone All Makes. My Nissan owners manual says the coolant should be done every 2yrs/30k. With that interval or even a tad longer, I've had no issues.

HTH

 

[mechanicx]

Hey Sayjac that procedure on that site is OK, but I think you'd need more than 3 totally fill and drains to get most all of the old coolant and the superflush that is added. I think you might need 5 or more. I would probably skip the superflush if the cooling system didn't look bad and especially if I was using the exact same type of anti-freeze since you'd be flushing a lot of water through it anyway.

I would open the block drain if at all possible.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
Hey Sayjac that procedure on that site is OK, but I think you'd need more than 3 totally fill and drains to get most all of the old coolant and the superflush that is added. I think you might need 5 or more. I would probably skip the superflush if the cooling system didn't look bad and especially if I was using the exact same type of anti-freeze since you'd be flushing a lot of water through it anyway.

I would open the block drain if at all possible.
Well, Prestone Super Flush is only 22oz, or a 1 pint + 1/2, so compared to the total capacity, it's miniscule. Also, with 2 complete distilled flushes after the Super Flush, I'm satisfied I've gotten most if not all out, or it's so diluted the remainder as it to be a non factor.

Also Prestone Super Flush is a relatively mild cleaner, basically citric acid designed as a ~10 minute flush, I generally give it at least 45 minutes with the heater wide open before I flush it out. And if you read Prestone's directions for the product, it says put in radiator, run till hot, then drain and refill with coolant. As it's designed primarily as a radiator flush, there's little concern on my part about multiple drains afterward, 2 should be plenty.

All that said, my post said generally follow that procedure, which I do like. The Super Radiator Flush is optional, but I figure as long as I'm doing a flush series, it can't hurt.

As for the block drains, ideally that would be the way to go. BUT, that also requires getting under the engine block and getting a wrench on them to open them to drain. Unfortunately, that is not always even generally practical. As an example, on the 01 Honda Civic, the block drain is on the back side of the engine immediately above the oil filter, meaning the oil filter has to be removed, an that you can get and reach it and loosen it after that, with a socket. In other words, a pita. It also means getting many vehicles up on ramps before you can do the flush.

And that all assumes you can find the block drain(s), which as a rule are not listed in the owners manual. Neither Tacoma nor Altima owners manual show where the block drains are located.

So, the procedure I follow in the link eliminates all the issues attached to using block drains. Ideally, block drains are great but practically, for the average joe (like me), doing it in his garage at home, generally the flush series is just easier.

 

[mechanicx]

OK I was just saying if you only did 3 radiator drain and refills you are not going to get most all the Superflush out for whatever it's worth. Maybe 4 or more would get most all of it out.

I personally think removing the block drain on most Japanese cars is little harder than removing an oil filter. Maybe a little potentially messy depending on how you go about it. But assuming the car is jacked up horizontally level it isn't even really required and might not even be as good to let the car back down to vertical level to let the block drain, drain the engine.

I think over all draining the block when you have a fairly easily accessible drain bolt saves time and coolant (or waste water at least) over a radiator drain and refill series. That is what the drain was put there for. Of course the owner's manual might not cover an intermediate job like coolant changes. I don't know if most of them even cover the oil change procedure really. That is what service books are for even if it's just a Chilton or Haynes.

I'm not try to criticise your way of doing it, just saying how I see it.

 

[Sayjac]

Huh? Doing 2 more complete flushes than Prestone recommends with a simple radiator drain and refill which spreads the Super Flush the same, and it's not enough? Done it now 4 times now on two different vehicles with no issues. I'm comfortable with it. As said, again the flush is optional.

Perhaps removing the block drains, assuming one can find them is little harder than removing an oil filter, perhaps not, depends on the factor(s) I've mentioned. That said, I don't have to know where they are are with the procedure I linked.

If you could send me all the service manual(s)or resource FOC locating the drains for all my vehicles, and the drain(s)are easily accessed without the need for ramps or jacking, I might give it a try.

"But assuming the car is jacked up horizontally level it isn't even really required and might not even be as good to let the car back down to vertical level to let the block drain, drain the engine."
I don't know what that means. I don't use jacks nor would I do that in any case. I have and use 2 ramps for oil changes.

Again, ideally the drain(s) are the way to go. If had access to a full hydraulic lift would really be ideal, but I don't.

Being pragmatic I do what works for me with what I have, and the procedure has been successful for me and apparently for others like Bill in Utah. Perhaps not ideal but practical.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: sayjac
Huh? Doing 2 more complete flushes than Prestone recommends with a simple radiator drain and refill which spreads the Super Flush the same, and it's not enough? Done it now 4 times now on two different vehicles with no issues. I'm comfortable with it. As said, again the flush is optional.


My position is you want to get all the super flush cleaner as flushed and drained as possible and 3 fill and drains leaves up to or more than 12% of it still in the system. When you say no issues, I'm not quibbling about that but issues and doing something the ideal way are 2 different things. We both agree that the superflush is optional and that was my main point that it is really for cleaning out a corrosion problem moreso than a routine thing.

Quote:
Perhaps removing the block drains, assuming one can find them is little harder than removing an oil filter, perhaps not, depends on the factor(s) I've mentioned. That said, I don't have to know where they are are with the procedure I linked.

If you could send me all the service manual(s)or resource FOC locating the drains for all my vehicles, and the drain(s)are easily accessed without the need for ramps or jacking, I might give it a try.


Maybe I should come over and drain it for you too lol. My point was that most japanese cars are fairly easy to find and get to the block drains. They are typically on the back and maybe center or rear of the engine. If it's a V engine there's probably two drains. I think you are overstating the difficulty of draining the block and being too defensive of your prferred way. I mean come on, you frequent these forums, so how hard is it really to get info from someone about where the block drains are? If you like your way, then fine. I'm just stating my view that the radiator draining and refilling seems like a more difficult way to go about it in many cases.


Quote:
"But assuming the car is jacked up horizontally level it isn't even really required and might not even be as good to let the car back down to vertical level to let the block drain, drain the engine."I don't know what that means. I don't use jacks nor would I do that in any case. I have and use 2 ramps for oil changes.


It's not hard to see what I'm saying. A car should ideally be on level ground before you jack it or place it on ramps. By horizontal I meant the plane left to right through the car, and by vertical I mean front to back through the car (or if you's rather the vertical plan through the engine block). I'm not distinquishing between jacking a car or putting it on ramps. It makes no real difference here if you are only lifting the front end. The most important thing here is that you don't have the car tilting horizontally as I meant it so as the block won't fully drain. With car ramps you should be easily getting it more level than with jackstands assuming your floor is fairly level to begin with.

Quote:
Again, ideally the drain(s) are the way to go. If had access to a full hydraulic lift would really be ideal, but I don't.


But you don't need a lift. Your ramps should be good enough since the car needn't be level front to back as I explained. It might even help the engine to drain as long as the engine is horizontally level as I've explained, IMO.

Quote:
Being pragmatic I do what works for me with what I have, and the procedure has been successful for me and apparently for others like Bill in Utah. Perhaps not ideal but practical.


But I'm not seeing why what you have isn't sufficient to drain the block. It seems like you are defending your method more than needs be. Some cars are not practical for block drains but that doesn't eman they all aren't. Use a different method that works best on different cars is my view.

Anyway, I haven't even gotten into what I consider is the hassle of trying to drain hot coolant out of a radiator repeatedly, the inadvisability of pouring 1/2 or more of the capacity of cold coolant into a hot engine, and the need to repeatedly bleed the system to get the whole capacity in each time. I'm sure these can all be worked around, but seems like more time and effort than just getting to accessible block drains.

Anyway I feel like I'm just wasting my time here and my suggestion is being dismissed out of hand. I long ago stated that not every car is a candidate for blocking draining, but many are.

 

[Sayjac]

It's only your opinion that 2 flushes after the Super Flush is not enough, and that it's only for a problem. It's not mine, the writer in the link or the manufacturer. Going well beyond the manufacturers recommendation for flushing has worked for me.

Again, it's only your opinion that most Japanese cars the drains are easy to find. Making blanket statements without proof means nothing. If you think distilled flushes are more difficult for you to figure you how to do, don't do it.

Jack stands and ramps are unnecessary with a distilled flush series. No need to find block drains, period. Many Asian cars, because of clearance issues they would be neccssary. And, distilled water or coolant at room temperature is hardly cold enough to cause any issue mixed with liquid left in the system. Again it's worked well for me.

And if you now choose to feel that you are being dismissed, perhaps you should examine your condescending comments regarding the purpose of block drains and service manuals in your previous post.

Find your blocks drains, and do what works for you. I'll continue to do what works best for me, and post my experience.

 

[mechanicx]

Well I think you are mistating the super flushes recommendation. They are not telling you to just drain the radiator. Those same manufactures also sell T-flushes, and so I'm pretty sure they are intending you to drain all of the flush out, not some percentage of it.

I'm also pretty sure it's not just my opinion that many Japanese cars have accessible block drains and that they were put there for that purpose, and is a reason why they only sell premix. And that's being condenscending on my part?

I'm not really sure how just draining the radiator is going beyond the manufactures recommended procedure. I've already posted how it's a simple matter of mathematics that you are not even getting a full flush with 3 or 4 drain and refills, yet you don't challenge that directly but say you are flushing it beyond recommendations.

Then you seem to ignore how repeatedly drain and refilling a radiator is a messy and time consuming process.

Say what you want sayjac but you are being argumentative and condescending by saying things like "that's just your opinion.." as if all opinions are equally valid and being equally backed up here. You are basically suggesting what I said is wrong and invalvid without offering any real good reasoning or proof.

Well OK take my "opinion" or leave it. I don't really care, or care how you go about your cooling maintenance. But you seem unwilling to consider other info or critique your own method without insinuating someone else is providing worthless opinion without you providing any thing substantive to back that up. That's what does irk me.

 

[Sayjac]

Actually the Prestone Radiator Super Flush use intructions as designed is one step less than in procedure than I linked/listed. Prestone reoommends one less flush after the Radiator Super Flush is added than the procedure I linked. That goes beyond Prestone's, (the manufacturer), recommended procedure for the radiator flush product.

And, the referenced comments including "that is what the drain was put there for" and "That is what service books are for" are condescending.

If you don't really care whether I take or leave your opinion, why should it "irk you" if I leave it.

 

[mechanicx]

Well draining the radiator and refilling the radiator 3x doesn't even really constitute one complete flush so I don't see how it's going beyond the recommendation. I really don't see how my comments "that is what the (block) drain was put there for" and "That is what service books are for" are condescending at all, but just obvious conclusions.

What I do think is condescending, and this isn't directed at you specifically sayjac, is to say after someone goes through all the trouble of full explaining something, and based on their hands on experience, that it's just opinion. And then suggesting they should provide copies of factory service information and maybe pics to support it at their own expense and time. Of course they usually don't post copies of factory SI at their own time and expense. That is what irks me, and not someone just leaving my "opinion" or info I posted.

Anyway if you do 3 radiator drain and refills that might drain out just as much of the old coolant as opening the block drains. But I just don't see how that is generally easier and less messy. One thing that wasn't mentioned is sometimes radiator drains and lower radiator hoses are hard to get to. So are you going to get at them 3 or more times or use a different method?

 

[Rand]

60k miles and 6 years really isnt that bad I'd just drain and refill then do it again in spring and again next fall

unless you see a bunch of slop come out when you drain it