<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Roy Basch:
Thanks mickey, they sure didn't design the system to be easily flushed
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Roy:
Mickey's advice seems dead on. The trick is getting the stuff to drain cleanly, which will not happen as there is no drain plug on the engine. When I installed my block heater last October in my 96 Passat TDI, I did the following:
1. Take off engine under cover.
2. Open the cap on the coolant return reservoir. Turn the heater switch to high.
3. Find the water pump housing, (it's located directly beneath the injection pump, follow the hose from the radiator).
4. The housing is black plastic, there is a metal clip securing part of it to the other, remove the clip.
5. Place a drain pan underneath (2-3 gallons) and carefully and gingerly pull the hose part housing away from the rest of the housing. (Remember, it's plastic, so don't force it)
6. There should be a torrent of red/brown coolant running down your arm and into the pan- Yuck!
7. You can flush per Mickey's instructions.
8. Reconnect the lower hose to the plastic housing, and re-install the clip (pain in the rear- sorry)
9. Making sure you have everything secure, begin filling the engine up through the coolant reservoir. As you live in Illinois, Mickey's recommendation of a 50/50 should be OK. (Here in Minnesota, I use at least a 60/40 solution of antifreeze to water.)
10. Filling it up can be deceiving, because it seems as if the engine won't take all of the coolant. It should take an entire gallon at first, you will then have to start the engine and watch the level decrease in the expansion tank. Immediately have some premixed 50/50 coolant available to top it off as it goes down!
11. Drive the car up to operating temperature, and check the fluid level in the return reservoir. If the red light flashes on the dash on the first test drive, just add coolant to bring the level between the "Max and Min" levels on the reservoir. The light should go out immediately.
That's all.