Zf8 speed blew coolant line

[FARWEST]

After reading all the posts on a simple cooling system drain, possible flush, n replace voolant job...I reckon I'm doing a NATRAD or similiar, or better, Radiator Shop visit for mine...BUT....WILL tell em about the 'electrickery activated' heater valve (which I knew NOTHING about) then watch their face to gauge if they knew about it before I brought it up...no knowledge...I'll make a pest of myself and stay n watch the whole process...a 'that ol chestnut' look n I'll go buy a countery n a schooner or two of mid strength before the trip home...LOVE this forum for its info about stuff I have NO idea about and being a li'l more than a bit ocd about things I throw through corners at woteva I think it will get round the corner at...ie: I like to drive into, threw and out the corner with tge shiny side up....I learn new stuff about these rigs all the time...dont have the workshop or tooling needed for of these jobs n to friggin old to start replacing the tools I've had n 'misplaced' so if the guru's say pita or special 'tongue angle' needed I know not to waste my time n risk 'egging it'

[genpk]

Ive drained the coolant using the bottom tap on the radiator.
You only get about 4 litres out of the 8 lt ish it holds.
Id one drop of fluid, refilled with new then drove it for a day, did one more drain and refill.
I reckon that just about refreshes 90% of the system.
Cheaper than Natrad!!!

[FARWEST]

I get your math...just want to renew all the coolant and have a base line...there are other Radiator Services, I will be using a Radiator specialist shop, other than NATRAD....it was just an example....not keen on the half n half attempt...mines probs been in it since the factory from what Ive learnt with this car....167k n 10 yrs....thats enough

[Troutman]

Originally Posted by FARWEST

....not keen on the half n half attempt...

Me neither. I've looked hard but can't find any drain plugs on the engine block at all.

[FARWEST]

Not shit canning the 'half half' method once Ive got the entire coolant replaced...I would/will use that method once a full flush and all coolant is replaced...maybe do 50k cycles ???....but atm its a cluster....previous, first, owner must have been a tight arse or had no friggin idea about mechanical preventative maintenence....log books were vague to say the least....my hope was he did the services himself and didnt use the log book to record them....I am indeed an optimist....auto box showed me what he had been doing....nothing...guess the reasoning was....dont spend anything and it wont cost anything....dumb dumb dumb method....its not his problem now so perhaps Im the dumb one....well, I know Im not real smart so....

[genpk]

i reckon the only other way might be to drop the bottom radiator hose and the tap at the bottom of the radiator.
I might add after doing two half flushes i tested the quality of the coolant and was like new!!

[drover]

I will reveal all next week hopefully a thread with pics if it goes to plan I have a cunnning idea after close inspection and if it doesn't work then I will lift the thermosat which will allow the block to drain, it's how I did most other engines.... air bleed is easy really and not an issue.......... most stuff online relates to petrols which have a different system.