Managing radiator draining and spilloff

[JHZR2]

Hello,

I would like to drain my radiator about yearly to replace part of the coolant and keep the systems clean. While at it, Ill likely waste a gallon of distilled water on through, to fluch out any junk in there, before replentishing the coolant.

The problem is this- on most cars, the radiator stopcock is located in some inconvenient spot, ad when it is opened, it dribbles coolant all over something below, so tat it doesnt drain from one single place.

I just had this experience on our integra this evening...

It turns out that our integra has a bad upper radiator hose. Honda has to use the poorest, lowest quality rubber parts of any manufacturer. We have two other 94 cars, a 96, 97 and a 98, and all of them have perfect OE factory hoses. The acura's is junk, though it only has 186k miles, compared to two of the others which are over 200k. It has only seen OE honda coolant.

Anyway, I was doing a drain and learned of the bad hose when refilling. SO, Ill have to drain and refill again. Id like to get more into my collection drum (nearly 2ft wide), and less onto my driveway, when doing the job.

So, what do you reccomend as far as draining radiators, to manage the spills and general mess, and maximize the amount of coolant collected below?

Thanks!!!

JMH

 

[GMBoy]

I know this may be the wrong answer, but I leave the garden hose running under the car to dilute any spilled coolant so it doesn't harm anything like animals who may attempt to drink it. What I can catch I do recycle, however.

 

[Gary Allan]

Jack up the vehicle so that the draining fluid doesn't spread across whatever cross member that it hits in it's varied trajectory during draining. It may require careful balancing.

Although I've never tried it, I imagine that you can fit the petcock internally with a hose. It probably would take a much longer time for the old style ..but the newer (larger- at least they look that way) probably wouldn't be too bad.
I use(d) LowTox ..so I don't have to worry too much about the toxic side effects of some carelessness.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

I drain the coolant into a large roasting pan and flush it down the toilet. I refill with water, drain that into the pan and flush THAT. Then, I do the garden hose on the ground to dilute the subsequent distilled fill and drains. There just isn't sufficient concentration of coolant after that to hurt anything. Antifreeze isn't toxic to the environment, just to animals and what with all the dilution, no harm done.

 

[Merkava_4]

When I open the drain plug on mine, coolant usually follows a path originating from the drain spout onto the bottom of the front bumper and then down across the splash guard into the drain pan. Not all of it makes it into the drain pan, the rest goes onto the garage floor.

After it drains, I pour just tap water into the radiator while leaving the drain plug out; this procedure is in hopes that the rinse water will follow the same path that the coolant took. 4 gallons of rinse water through the radiator is usually enough to get the under carriage rinsed off.

 

[Master ACiD]

i know im going to catch flack for this, but i usually let mine drain out into the grass and then hose the grass off for a few minutes.

 

[wsm41bn]

Quote:

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i know im going to catch flack for this, but i usually let mine drain out into the grass and then hose the grass off for a few minutes.

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hehe, i have done the same, but the last time that i drained my rad it wasnt by choice it was the fan tore into the rad

 

[doitmyself]

Is there room to fabricate and install an aluminum foil "trough" under the radiator drain and direct that into your catch basin? I've done this many times.

 

[JHZR2]

great thought... that is what Ill do!!!!!

Thanks,

JMH

 

[benjamming]

good idea, doitmyself. I have the same problem on my '94 Grand Am. However, the Accord drains just as easily as the oil.

 

[mechtech2]

Honda, as well as other Japanese mfrs, has always used the best rubbers in car manufacturing.
German cars are the worst.
The Japanese cars always use three times as many parts to do the same job, however.

 

[Mamala Bay]

I siphon the coolant out with a tube. If you can get the tube down to the lower radiator hose, it will do the trick, no mess. Fill it with water and run engine/heater for 3 minutes and drain again. This is with a cold engine/radiator fluid.

 

[JHZR2]

Quote:

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Honda, as well as other Japanese mfrs, has always used the best rubbers in car manufacturing.
German cars are the worst.

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lol, wish we had experienced this on the integra...

Toyota, Id agree (though my wife's mother's camry's dashbvoard is discoloring at different rates andmaking me wonder), but Honda, Im not sure Id buy another after the way the rubber parts last on this one. The poor selection of various mnaterials, coupled with some stupid design issues make me doubt their ability to do anything but make a good engine.

JMH

 

[1sttruck]

Our garbage pickup is also a recycling pickup, and they will take non-flammable fluids in 1 gal milk jugs. I attach a hose on the radiator drain to fill up the milk jugs.

 

[Dr_No]

OK btw anyone who says "antifreeze isn't toxic to the environment" hasnt spilled any on their lawn.
A beautiful round, and dead spot remains for a very long time. Until new grass manages to grow in.

 

[GeaugaFletcher]

I'm surprised you don't consider 186,000 miles a decent service life on ANY rubber part of a car. Over 200,000 on the others? That's luck.
There's likely not a rubber bit made that'd last that long in Oklahoma.

The petcocks on my '97 Miata and '90 Integra were in good locations that minimized mess. I think in general, it's a messy job. Be sure to remove the engine undertrays.

 

[JHZR2]

no, by 186k, everything that could be replaced has been replaced 2-3x over, with OE parts, at the dealer.

The engine is rock solid, no oil use at 7500 mile OCIs, coolant looks clean and new when it is removed. Clutch action could be better (despite replacing clutch, flywheel and slave cylinder), its no BMW, but the shifter feel is as good as a BMW. Cloth on the seats could last a bit better - our toyota cloth still looks as new, whereas the acura seats show UV and wear.

Im just saying that the parts that toyota specced for our previa are of MUCH higher quality than the parts that Honda specced for our integra.

And since we get similar service life on our diesel MBs, 200k for hoses, etc. is not out of the ordinary in my opinion.

JMH

 

[shoz123]

On my Ford Taurus the coolant tank has a hose that tees into the lower radiator hose. Best place to drain the system and it is accessible without any removal of parts. Easily directs all the coolant into a bucket. I have never used the petcock as the tee is the lowest part of the cooling system.

 

[swalve]

Don't the petcocks have a nipple where a small hose can be attached?

 

[Sienna Driver]

Recently I had to replace the radiator in my 97 integra with 90K miles. Since the coolant is only 1 yr old, I decided to collect and reuse it. What i did was unscrew the cock slightly to let coolant trickle down rather than pouring out. This way I was able to collect 100%. I checked the hoses from both outside and inside, they are still in excellent condition. Last year I replaced T belt and all three drive belts, they were all in excellent condition, especially the T belt, i think I could almost pass it as new.