Changing coolant problem

[moledodge]

so today I decided to change my coolant. I wanted to drain the coolant insert a flusb and fill the rest up with distilled water, I was then going to drive the truck a few days and then drain everything and out new coolant in. My manual said there's abiut 16 quarts (5 gallons) of coolant. I drained the radiator and there definitely wasn't 5 gallons in it. I then removed the lower hose and then got a tad bit more out. When I refilled the radiator and reservoir I only had to use about a gallon and some change even after starting the truck and squeezing the hoses to get air out. I went for a drive and everything looked good. How do I get all of the coolant out? Since I don't want to do all that work again to change a gallon.

 

[JTrean]

You need to have the vehicle at operating temperature and the thermostat open to get the coolant from the engine.

 

[moledodge]

You need to have the vehicle at operating temperature and the thermostat open to get the coolant from the engine.

Ahhhh should i run the truck up to temp and then drain it or just pull the thermostat

 

[JTrean]

Ahhhh should i run the truck up to temp and then drain it or just pull the thermostat

Get it to operation temp, then pull the bottom hose again. The thermostat is up top so no fluid would come out due to gravity

 

[HammerHead]

Get it to operation temp, then pull the bottom hose again. The thermostat is up top so no fluid would come out due to gravity

Is that safe? I thought the pressure and hot coolant would be a problem?

 

[CLOUDL1GHT]

I would remove the thermostat then reconnect the hose. That way you can get all the fluid out the block as well. It's two bolts and it pops right out. BTW that thing about gravity and fluid not coming out the top is not true. When I removed my thermostat to replace it with a 180* about half a gallon came gushing out of the block. The engine was cold as well as it sat overnight before I changed it.

Also DO NOT do it at operating temp. IDK if you are like me, but I do not want 200* fluid at high pressure coming at me.

 

[JTrean]

I would remove the thermostat then reconnect the hose. That way you can get all the fluid out the block as well. It's two bolts and it pops right out. BTW that thing about gravity and fluid not coming out the top is not true. When I removed my thermostat to replace it with a 180* about half a gallon came gushing out of the block. The engine was cold as well as it sat overnight before I changed it.

Also DO NOT do it at operating temp. IDK if you are like me, but I do not want 200* fluid at high pressure coming at me.

That's why you pop the radiator cap to relieve the pressure before you drain it... You could also take out the thermostat and then the lower hose as stated above.

 

[HammerHead]

Or you can do what I do. Pull the bottom hose once a year and refill. Doesn't get all the fluid out bit seems to work just fine. And I do it on a cold motor first thing in the morning. Easy breezy

 

[moledodge]

Or you can do what I do. Pull the bottom hose once a year and refill. Doesn't get all the fluid out bit seems to work just fine. And I do it on a cold motor first thing in the morning. Easy breezy

This is what I'd do normally but the dealer mixed coolants so I want to get all the old stuff out.

 

[moledodge]

I would remove the thermostat then reconnect the hose. That way you can get all the fluid out the block as well. It's two bolts and it pops right out. BTW that thing about gravity and fluid not coming out the top is not true. When I removed my thermostat to replace it with a 180* about half a gallon came gushing out of the block. The engine was cold as well as it sat overnight before I changed it.

Also DO NOT do it at operating temp. IDK if you are like me, but I do not want 200* fluid at high pressure coming at me.

Once I remove the thermostat up top it will let the coolant from the block come out of the bottom hose? I assume keep the truck off right? Also why is reconnecting the top important since all the coolant is going to flow out of the bottom.