Plenum pull: draining coolant? - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

ammrpm · 03-09-2011

Is it absolutely necessary to drain the coolant before you pull the plenum? I disconnected the rubber coolant line that connects to the small hard line on the rear passenger side of the plenum. No coolant was coming out of this hose when I disconnected it. Is there another source of coolant that I am overlooking that would cause a major spill if I were to pull the plenum without draining all the coolant?

mike100 · 03-09-2011

probably a good head of water will flow up from the heads and block- it definitely will if you remove the injector housings. Have you opened the radiator cap yet?- it may stream out when you do- just the vac bubble in the top of the radiator or fill jug is holding it from pissing out.

you should at least drain it enough to empty out the fill reservoir. The last time I had the water out of the car- I'm resigned to having to purge the air bubble every time now.

Aurora40 · 03-09-2011

If the radiator cap is off, that tube on the passenger side should definitely stream about a quart or more of coolant out.

If you jack up the driver's side, this also helps. That may be enough to pull just the plenum, or you may get some pouring out. Having it run down the primary intake tubes sucks, so draining about a gallon total out is cheap insurance against a hassle.

FU · 03-09-2011

Antifreeze in the engine is usually big trouble.

PhillipsLT5 · 03-09-2011

drain it

ammrpm · 03-09-2011

Thanks for all the quick responses everyone! It looks like I will be draining some coolant.

So if I just open the drain valve at the bottom of the radiator and let everything drain out that should be enough to do the plenum pull without any problems with coolant getting in anything?

Thanks for keeping me from making a rookie mistake. This is my first plenum pull.

Z51JEFF · 03-09-2011

You only need to drain about a gallon and thats plenty just for the plenum pull.

sammy · 03-09-2011

if it were me i would drain everything out of it by turning the radiator petcock then after i got her back together i would flush the system with water like it says in the fsm .then refill with a 50/50 mix of the good old green stuff .

Toyvet1 · 03-09-2011

Easy way to drain is disconnect the hose fron the hard line. Put the hose in a clean one gallon bottle. Lower air compressor to about 15lbs and blow air in the hard line. Once you have a half gallon out pull the plenum ...works for me.

03-09-2011	#1
ammrpm Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 67	Plenum pull: draining coolant? Is it absolutely necessary to drain the coolant before you pull the plenum? I disconnected the rubber coolant line that connects to the small hard line on the rear passenger side of the plenum. No coolant was coming out of this hose when I disconnected it. Is there another source of coolant that I am overlooking that would cause a major spill if I were to pull the plenum without draining all the coolant?

03-09-2011	#2
mike100 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Marcos CA Posts: 1,802	Re: Plenum pull: draining coolant? probably a good head of water will flow up from the heads and block- it definitely will if you remove the injector housings. Have you opened the radiator cap yet?- it may stream out when you do- just the vac bubble in the top of the radiator or fill jug is holding it from pissing out. you should at least drain it enough to empty out the fill reservoir. The last time I had the water out of the car- I'm resigned to having to purge the air bubble every time now.

03-09-2011	#3
Aurora40 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Leesburg, VA Posts: 2,713	Re: Plenum pull: draining coolant? If the radiator cap is off, that tube on the passenger side should definitely stream about a quart or more of coolant out. If you jack up the driver's side, this also helps. That may be enough to pull just the plenum, or you may get some pouring out. Having it run down the primary intake tubes sucks, so draining about a gallon total out is cheap insurance against a hassle. __________________ Bob Saveland Former owner of #2517 [IMG]http://a.random-image.net/aurora40/vette.jpg[/img]

03-09-2011	#4
FU Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Found Member Posts: 4,346	Re: Plenum pull: draining coolant? Antifreeze in the engine is usually big trouble.

03-09-2011	#5
PhillipsLT5 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 2,451	Re: Plenum pull: draining coolant? drain it

03-09-2011	#7
Z51JEFF Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fremont,Ca Posts: 3,068	Re: Plenum pull: draining coolant? You only need to drain about a gallon and thats plenty just for the plenum pull.

03-09-2011	#8
sammy Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: back in lone pine Posts: 591	Re: Plenum pull: draining coolant? if it were me i would drain everything out of it by turning the radiator petcock then after i got her back together i would flush the system with water like it says in the fsm .then refill with a 50/50 mix of the good old green stuff .

03-09-2011	#9
Toyvet1 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bloomingdale, Il Posts: 330	Re: Plenum pull: draining coolant? Easy way to drain is disconnect the hose fron the hard line. Put the hose in a clean one gallon bottle. Lower air compressor to about 15lbs and blow air in the hard line. Once you have a half gallon out pull the plenum ...works for me.