Replacing my Intake Manifold Question

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340inabbody

340inabbody

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I am trying to drain my coolant before replacing my intake manifold. My 340 coolant plugs wont budge and I don’t want to brake them and have to pull the motor as it would be to tight to drill and tap under there.
So I drained from the lower radiator drain **** and also got the rear up as high as I can. Then I tried vacuuming out through the thermostat opening.
I don’t see any more coolant. I am wondering how much I left in there and if there is anything else I can do before yanking the manifold???
Thanks for your input!

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there will still be a fair amount chilling out, there always is.

sop up what ever stays in the lifter valley and change the oil and you should be good to go.
 
Take a towel and an air hose and stick it in the thermo housing and blow air into the water passage. It will get most out.
 
junkyardhero said:
there will still be a fair amount chilling out, there always is.

sop up what ever stays in the lifter valley and change the oil and you should be good to go.
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Thanks! I just looked in the shop vac and it looks like about a gallon of coolant was pulled through the thermostat housing! I guess Ill see what’s left tomorrow when I pull the manifold.
 
Scody21 said:
Take a towel and an air hose and stick it in the thermo housing and blow air into the water passage. It will get most out.
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Thanks I’ll try that as well. Are you thinking that pressurizing it will force the coolant down below the manifold level to where it would drain out the lower end of the radiator?
 
You will be fine, draining the radiator will get the coolant low enough so you won't have any spill when removing the intake.

If you remove heads it will be a big mess without draining the block.
 
Pull the lower radiator hose off of the water pump. The drain plug in the radiator won't drain the block. The lower hose will drain a lot of coolant
 
Dan the man said:
Pull the lower radiator hose off of the water pump. The drain plug in the radiator won't drain the block. The lower hose will drain a lot of coolant
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Come on guys THINK. The block does not need to be drained to remove the intake.

Photo one shows the coolant level in the engine of you drain the radiator. It is to the bottom of those holes.

Photo 2 shows an engine with the heads on and no intake. You can plainly see that there will be no coolant spilled if you drain the radiator and remove the intake.

Pulling the lower hose doesn't do anything different to the coolant in the block. It will get some more out of the radiator.

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413 said:
Come on guys THINK. The block does not need to be drained to remove the intake.

Photo one shows the coolant level in the engine of you drain the radiator. It is to the bottom of those holes.

Photo 2 shows an engine with the heads on and no intake. You can plainly see that there will be no coolant spilled if you drain the radiator and remove the intake.

Pulling the lower hose doesn't do anything different to the coolant in the block. It will get some more out of the radiator.

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If you pull it off the block it will drain some out of the block
 
Dan the man said:
If you pull it off the block it will drain some out of the block
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No, it won't get any more out of the block than opening the radiator drain. I showed you photo proof of this. Water runs down hill. That lower hose isn't holding any coolant after you drain the radiator.
 
But on BOTH sides, the Second from the top water-pump bolts both go into the water-jackets as does, the Second from the bottom, on the driver's side, next to the frost-plug, lol.
 
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It's been a while........Since water seeks it's own level, wouldn't disconnecting the lower rad hose effectively allow the coolant to drop to the coolant passage level between the timing cover and the block? These passages are below the passages in the head so it shouldn't affect pulling the intake. Am I off base?

The OP just wants the coolant low enough as not to flood the engine when the manifold is removed, not drain all of the coolant.
 
CFD244 said:
It's been a while........Since water seeks it's own level, wouldn't disconnecting the lower rad hose effectively allow the coolant to drop to the coolant passage level between the timing cover and the block? These passages are below the passages in the head so it shouldn't affect pulling the intake. Am I off base?

The OP just wants the coolant low enough as not to flood the engine when the manifold is removed, not drain all of the coolant.
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Yes I am only draining to get as much coolant so I can remove the intake manifold as dry as possible.
This is interesting reading
 
I'm guessing
that if the water was to the top of the T-stathousing, less than two qts more would need to be drained. Maybe less than ONE quart. I have done this more times than my Dad had siblings (Grandma had 15 life-births).
A lil coolant in the valley is easily mopped up.
 
When I remove the manifold will I be able to identify what type of lifters are in there?
 
Guys this is most helpful. Another question. While I have the intake manifold off what do you guys recommend I do with respect to inspection etc? Seems like a good opportunity.
 
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