What is the best way to drain the coolant?

I am finally getting around to removing the PRV from my A310. I am faced with draining the dreaded coolant. Is the drain plug on the right side of the engine (right side for an Alpine that is)? I dont want to create a big ole mess so I am looking for recommendations. I would appreciate the help.

This is no help

But on my GTA I drained all of the coolant in about 60 seconds onto the A435 by having a knackered radiator

drain plugs on both sides .


11 o'clock to filter this side and also on the other .10mm square drive .

Got a chuckle out of this one

"But on my GTA I drained all of the coolant in about 60 seconds onto the A435 by having a knackered radiator"
I assume "A435" is a freeway and "knackered" means it has failed in a most inconvenient way. I am from the US so not a common term here.

Thanks for the location for the drain plug, I thought it might be the one in the 5 O clock position. In either case the coolant will run, trickle, spatter down the side no? I will have to come up with some overly complicated means of capturing the fluid in an attempt to keep if from running all over the ground.

By the way is that a Felpro Prematorque gasket? If so how do you like them?

Glaser from Meca ,certainly do the job on the turbo's running big BOOOOOOOST

It goes without saying however, remove the coolant filler cap, or you will be there for ages while it splutters out.
If you want to drain as much coolant as possible from the system before eventually refilling with Type D Renault coolant (recomended) jack the rear of the car up about 6ins or so, then remove the rad switch, which on the GTA at least, is the lowest point to drain without removing the rad. That should allow most, but not all, the coolant to be removed from the system.
Hope this helps.

Got a chuckle out of this one

"But on my GTA I drained all of the coolant in about 60 seconds onto the A435 by having a knackered radiator"
I assume "A435" is a freeway and "knackered" means it has failed in a most inconvenient way. I am from the US so not a common term here.

?

The A435 is a main road, but you would probably describe it as a narrow rural track 1 lane in each direction.

Knackered = old, broken, worn out, useless etc. A bit like me.

I was going to used FURBAR, I assume you use that term in the US

This is no help

But on my GTA I drained all of the coolant in about 60 seconds onto the A435 by having a knackered radiator

beat me to it .....i was gonna suggest driving it worked for me for about 3 years . SORRY ....ITS THE IN THE ALPINE FACE OF ADVERSITY COMING OUT head gaskets solved the issue in the end.

I am sure someone will have given you some sound advice already.

Si21

Glaser from Meca, certainly do the job on the turbo's running big BOOOOOOOST

Better qualify that a little, not at 20 psi they're not JonV's post water coolant dump method on M40 as noted above by a few, definitely the fastest approach to a complete flush out!





Gaskets changed for something a little more suitable for JonV ragging… Lol...

ahh but see now which would you rather replace ,the gaskets or the heads

.
definitely the fuseable link

Just bought 10L of type-d for changing the entire cooling system out. I'm going to replace the two chubby hoses that link to the water pump as they're a bit old and swollen.

Question now is should I change the 'stat just for good measure along with the header tank.

Interesting looking at the head-gasket pics that Lee posted how much metal there is between the bores.

I know BMW admitted they'd taken the old E46 M3 unit as far as they could go, but look at the differences.



Not mine I hasten to add!

Wet liners on the PRV probably mean you need more meat in the block, but it's interesting how sturdy the PRV looks in comparison.

Swings and roundabouts ....I think I'd prefer the solid to the wet floating .....but doesn't look to clever that .

Do me a favour and flush the system through and let us know what it's like please .Remove the stat and flush via the rad hoses .Just curious to see how mush shite or not come out as it's been rebuilt and sat a fair few months now .

Well if the coolant bottle is anything to go by then I'd say not much.

(I 'decanted' a bit into a glass and all in all looked pretty clean)