Turbo SE radiator bleeding and draining plugs

[sylba]

Hello,

I just intented to drain the radiator on my 1990 Turbo SE, but I can't reach the draining plug without dismantling half of the car...and I don't even see the bleeding plug, which should be seen from the wheel arch!

Any idea how I can do?

Thanks for your help

sylba

[Jacques]

Hi Sylba,

I just did the Whole job last spring, so I would urge you to take the Whole radiator pack out and clean it up, if you haven't already done so recently.

Anyway, standing udner the car, facing the headlights, on the big radiator pack cowl, there is a hole close to the right side, rearmost (that is close to you). A socket can reach up there and undo the Little brass bolt that is the drain plug.

On the left side, up and front, which is actually on top of the Water cooler itself, is a White plastic thingie, a small fingerscrew, that can be loosened. It does not have to be taken all the way out, as the threads are made in two sections. so you cannot actually Loose it.

Having filled it all up and following procedures as per Service Notes, bleed through here, till' a steady stream of coolant flows from there. Top up.

I've taken these pictures when I took it all apart, where you can see the brass plug and the plastic bleed finger screw. The fingerscrew is easily reached if you turn the front Wheels, and reach up. Again, it's on top if the radiator itself, at the extreme left.

Cheers,

Jacques.

 

 

[sylba]

Thank you Jacques.

I don't have the hole for the socket to open the drain plug ( in the GRP part)

Should I drill one?

Regards

sylba

[Jacques]

You can drain via the left hand side coolant hose instead. Just loosen the hose clip, and gently pull the hose off, while having a nice large container underneath.

Cheers,

Jacques.

[Vulcan Grey]

I cut an access hole in the fiberglass for that lower drain plug.

But...  it is a real pain to drain due to the weird angle and there are some blind riv-nuts there, so you can't get a hole lined up with the drain.

If you do drain the system from there, then the problem is that the coolant goes everywhere, and soaks into the fiberglass... making the car always smell like coolant.

I use a vacuum these days.

 

[Qavion]

Some folks get their local radiator repairman/mechanic to add a drain point in the metal tubing at a convenient point at the lowest point close to the radiator. Sorry, I don't have any pictures of mine.

You may be able to turn your steering wheel one way or the other to view the bleeding plug in the wheel arch. I discovered mine for the first time when I took off the front left hand wheel.

 

Cheers

Ian.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Qavion

[Vulcan Grey]

My original air bleed broke, so I made a new one out of brass, and then rethought that since it may be too hot to touch, so I made one of Nylon.

 

you can add one of these as a splice in the lower radiator hose

 

[sylba]

Hi,

 

Thanks to all of you.

I finally drilled a hole in the fiberglass, and it is now very easy to drain the radiator... and no one can see it.

I think it was the easyest way to reach this plug.