Does anyone really do this to their cooling system?
- Thread starter cruiser
- Start date
-
That's talking about the pipe plugs, not the freeze plugs.
Frank Mopar
Well-Known Member
I agree thats true but your still allowing air to be in the system.
cruiser
Well-Known Member
I first found the correct part number in my 1974 parts catalog (see photos), then bought a NOS one on e-Bay about a year and a half ago. I don't remember the name of the vendor. As an aside, I visited my favorite junkyard in western MN to find a spare radiator for my Duster at that same time. The slant six radiators are getting really hard to find, but I found one still with its factory original cap. The cap looked pretty worn, but I popped it on my Duster and it worked perfectly! Sorry, too much information - I know.
Last edited:
In your case as the system has been opened and fluid changed that recently ago, you probably don't have to go nutz on a flush. but it should be done, and that pipe plug pulled. As long as you get a good, (not worn out, decent quality brand) 6 POINT!!!! socket on that pipe, plug it shouldn't come out too hard. the worst thing, is to try with a wore out, or cheap, (or any 12 point) socket on it, when breaking it loose. The one on my 74 block came out easily, and this was a Rust belt block since it was new.
Any sediment will settle to the bottom of the water jackets, which is where that pipe plug is.... the point of a flush is to get rid of that sediment that can break free under normal use and plug up heater cores, take out water pump seals or such. by doing what you say, you won't flush that sediment upwards and outwards.
Let gravity help you, by having it flow out that pipe plug opening.
Any sediment will settle to the bottom of the water jackets, which is where that pipe plug is.... the point of a flush is to get rid of that sediment that can break free under normal use and plug up heater cores, take out water pump seals or such. by doing what you say, you won't flush that sediment upwards and outwards.
Let gravity help you, by having it flow out that pipe plug opening.
Would vinegar hurt the system ?
If not you could run a few gallons of vinegar theu the system and drive (or let it sit after running the engine) for a few days then drain it . That should disolve rust in the jackets.
If not you could run a few gallons of vinegar theu the system and drive (or let it sit after running the engine) for a few days then drain it . That should disolve rust in the jackets.
So will the iron out I suggested.it was originally marketed for cleaning the same type of deposits out of boiler radiators, and I have some old Prestone flush cans that are exactly the same thing (sp?) Oxalic acid. Flush with water til as clean as it can be, add a cup of iron out, finish the fill with water, drive a bit to circulate it, if real bad let sit with this in it over nite, pull block drain and radiator drain and flush with water again til clean, fill er up and let er rip
Right ... missed that post .
French demon
Well-Known Member
Last edited:
Confuscious say: "Man who goes through airport turn style side ways is going to Bangkok".... 
French demon
Well-Known Member
You said drain ****....
Drain **** is what happens when a man pees....
???
I didn't say "drain ****". The 1971 Dodge service manual did
I said "drain plug".
Well, your daddy do e taught you wrong. Everybody knows that you need to disconnect the radiator hose, get a friend d with a truck and a winch and drive it down to a quarry. You hook your bumper to the winch hook and lower it into the quarry. As you lower it, the old water drains s out. You then let the front end dip into the half filled quarry water a few times to wash the block out, and call it good. As an added bonus, the front end of the car gets washed too.
I just got the drain plug out of the engine in my 85 pickemup yesterday, probably the 1st time it's been out since the truck was going down the assembly line. I had to put a "cheater" on the ratchet handle to get it loose but it came without stripping the head of the drain plug.
And yeah I had to probe the drain plug hole with a screwdriver for it to flow.
Before I pulled that plug I was trying to drain it just thru the radiator drain, and I had the upper hose off/ I could hear it sucking a vacuum thru the thermostat housing and would barely trickle.
Once I probed the block drain and gave it some air it glugged out both the block drain and radiator drain. I then pulled the thermostat out and it drained pretty quickly from both points.
That engine is getting ready to come out hopefully later today or tomorrow.
And yeah I had to probe the drain plug hole with a screwdriver for it to flow.
Before I pulled that plug I was trying to drain it just thru the radiator drain, and I had the upper hose off/ I could hear it sucking a vacuum thru the thermostat housing and would barely trickle.
Once I probed the block drain and gave it some air it glugged out both the block drain and radiator drain. I then pulled the thermostat out and it drained pretty quickly from both points.
That engine is getting ready to come out hopefully later today or tomorrow.
Yeah, the cornfusion came from the generic service text, using the identical service text as the V-8's w/o distinguishing the Slanty. Plural plugs had You eyeing the core hole plugs, & as above, fooling with more than needed can cause other problems to pop up. Happy cooling!
cudajoedart
Well-Known Member
I would not knock out the plugs unless they are rotted or leaking there should be a drain plug on the right side if the block
Only in the top of the rad tank for expansion. It does not travel through the system, as the inlet to the pump is from the bottom of the rad, no air down there.
KC69Cuda
Well-Known Member
Without pulling the block drain plugs (or plug on /6), you'll never get most of the sediment out of the block. As someone else mentioned, use a high-quality 6-point socket (9/16"), or your chances of rounding it off increase substantially.
I've owned my car (original 318) for 4 years. Never overheated but temp would rise uncomfortably high when climbing a long hill & always had a little bit of coolant "purge" or boil over after shutting it down hot. 2 years ago I pulled the block drain plugs (who knows if they were ever out prior) and did a thorough flush. I did have to dig through crusted sediment behind the plugs. Removed heater hoses & T-stat. Using a short piece of 5/16" steel fuel line tightly inserted into a length of fuel hose, I back-flushed the block through the drain plug holes. Alternating between them, the heater hose outlets, radiator & T-stat opening, I was a bit shocked at the amount of sediment I got out of it. Haven't had an issue since - also changed to a 180* stat, added a reservoir for a closed system, and "Dex-cool" long-life coolant.
I've owned my car (original 318) for 4 years. Never overheated but temp would rise uncomfortably high when climbing a long hill & always had a little bit of coolant "purge" or boil over after shutting it down hot. 2 years ago I pulled the block drain plugs (who knows if they were ever out prior) and did a thorough flush. I did have to dig through crusted sediment behind the plugs. Removed heater hoses & T-stat. Using a short piece of 5/16" steel fuel line tightly inserted into a length of fuel hose, I back-flushed the block through the drain plug holes. Alternating between them, the heater hose outlets, radiator & T-stat opening, I was a bit shocked at the amount of sediment I got out of it. Haven't had an issue since - also changed to a 180* stat, added a reservoir for a closed system, and "Dex-cool" long-life coolant.
Frank Mopar
Well-Known Member
That exactly why old system had the coolant passages and water turn rusty. Air in the system.
BillGrissom
Well-Known Member
The slant has a single drain plug, 3/8" NPT on R side. I put knock sensor from a Chevy 1985-95 V-8 there (w/ 1/4" NPT bushing) for later use w/ an engine controller. No fan of the old Prestone flush kits which install a tee in a heater hose. I flush a few times w/ tap water, then add 1 lb citric acid and drive for a few days, drain flush fully, rid all water (w/ heater core change), and use Evans Waterless coolant for no future corrosion worries. I change all 5/8" hoses to silicone. Did this in all my vehicles, even 2002 Chrysler T&C w/ rear heat. No more coolant issues or worries.
Dorian
dorian
Ok guys I have said this before I will repeat proper flush and fill procedures.
Don't use chemicals. find a good rad shop and they will do a reverse system power flush with compressed air and water. this goes thru your heater hose in reverse flow and flushes out your complete system.
(your top hose is removed and a down spout is added to rad to point the water coming out down to the floor.)
after the water runs thru system for a while the compressed air is hit and it "flushes" out your system and boy is it dirty!
then when your whole system has been flushed numerously add in 6 litres of anti freeze and 1 in your overflow. then top up with water and your good to go.
Most people say you just need 50/50 but it depends where you live. Extreme hot or cold weather will dictate how much antifreeze. so if you live in arizona or Canada and the northern states, 6 liters plus one in the overflow will help you as low as -51degrees C and +51degrees C.
also change your thermostat and cap every 2-3 years when you do the reverse power flush.
Don't use chemicals. find a good rad shop and they will do a reverse system power flush with compressed air and water. this goes thru your heater hose in reverse flow and flushes out your complete system.
(your top hose is removed and a down spout is added to rad to point the water coming out down to the floor.)
after the water runs thru system for a while the compressed air is hit and it "flushes" out your system and boy is it dirty!
then when your whole system has been flushed numerously add in 6 litres of anti freeze and 1 in your overflow. then top up with water and your good to go.
Most people say you just need 50/50 but it depends where you live. Extreme hot or cold weather will dictate how much antifreeze. so if you live in arizona or Canada and the northern states, 6 liters plus one in the overflow will help you as low as -51degrees C and +51degrees C.
also change your thermostat and cap every 2-3 years when you do the reverse power flush.
Valleyant
Valleyant
Cruiser, did you do a video on your car? brown Gold Duster/snake skin top and fold down rear seat? very nice car indeed!
cruiser
Well-Known Member
Yes I did. It's entitled "1974 Plymouth Gold Duster Restoration and Walkaround".
Last edited:
cruiser
Well-Known Member
Bill, I'm not sure that the drain plug is 3/8". I just put a tape measure on it and it looks like 5/8".
-
