Help with coolant flush?

97sentragxe · Jan 24th, 2003, 01:05 PM

OK, I'm not the best when it comes to mechanical work on my car, but I try, so give me credit...
The coolant level in my '97 Sentra is down at the MINimum level on the reservoir, so I'm going to do a coolant flush. (It hasn't been flushed in two years, anyway, so it's due.) Now that I have a house, with a garage, I want to o this myself, since I KNOW it's pretty easy to do, and I've got better things to do with $45 than give it to a mechanic who couldn't care less about my car. My question is this:
Where the hell is the drain plug on the engine block? In looking at my owners manual, it says theres a drain on the radiator, which I've found, and a drain plug on the block, as well. I can't find the one on the block. Also, there's supposed to be an air flow valve or something. Where's it at?
Someone help me out please, or tell me if I'm getting in over my head, and should just pay to have it done.
Thanks a lot.
Jason

Jan 24th, 2003, 01:33 PM

Get youself a Haynes manual (cheap, informative, lots of pictures). It will detail the entire process for you.

Flushing the coolant system is easy, but it is tedious. If you forget to open a bleeder valve (actually just a bolt. There are 2 on the GA16DE one near the distibutor and the other is near the intake manifold, neither are labelled) you can mess up your cooling system by getting air pockets in the head or heater core.

If your're doing a flush, you may want to by a flush kit (Prestone and others make them) that will allow you to hook a garden hose up to the car and really flush the crap out (word of warning, use low pressure!).

Make sure you have enough coolant , a catch basin, and a mess of rags before you start. And please, don't dump the coolant in the sewer!

BobBitchin · Jan 24th, 2003, 01:56 PM

I couldn't get the one on the block open. It is near the exhaust manifold. The air bleeder, as stated, is near the distributor. I jacked up the rear end to pour most of the coolant out of the block by way of the radiator drain. Soon after doing this it hit me that I could have just taken off the lower radiator hose in place of the opening the block plug.

I don't really like the Haynes manual too much and the Chiltons even less. I vote for a Factory Service Manual. I have no idea if the CD-ROM service manuals on eBay are worth while.