Hi guys. Just got done swapping my heater core (total clog, brown coolant, the works...). The Bently manual said to pull the airbox (which I did), and then disconnect the 2 hoses that go through the firewall (which I did not). These guys must be smoking rubber bands if they think those hoses can be disconnected! I have pretty skinny arms and I could barely touch a hose clamp back in there with my pinky, much less get pliers in there to remove the clamp!

I ended up rigging a plastic bag in the car and slowly disconnecting from the core and it worked great! No spills.

Just wondering if anyone else has used this method or has actually gotten those firewall hoses disconnected..

Also, should I expect for my coolant to keep turning brown? I've flushed it several times and always goes in blue and then turns mud brown.

 

Are you really flushing the system out, or just draining the old coolant and refilling it? If your just draining. Remember to drain both the radiator and the engine block. Draining the radiator only will not drain the engine. If your flushing it try flushing with water until it comes out clear. Then use your antifreeze mixture.

 

I am just draining it and refilling per instructions in the book.

Is there some other plug I can take out to help clear the block?

 

To drain the remaining coolant from the system, from underneath the car, there is a 14mm drain plug located at the rear face base of the cylinder block adjacent to the starter motor underneath the exhaust manifold heat shield (if looking down at the engine). It's located about 4 to 6 inches above the bottom of the block (where the engine block meets the oil pan) and between two of the large round press-in freeze plugs in the block. Don't touch the freeze plugs! Hope this helps.

 

# 3