On Feb 19, 10:50*pm, mm wrote:
On Sat, 19 Feb 2011 18:29:42 -0800 (PST), JIMMIE





wrote:
On Feb 19, 2:02 pm, mm wrote:
This is OT, but I asked in my Chrysler mailing list and no one in the
usually busy list has answered in 18 hours, except one who tried, only
wrt the last, unrelated line.

Well, I can't believe it but I've forgotten how to change the
anti-freeze. This must be the start of Oldtimers Disease.

It was 70 degrees in Baltimore yesterday, and a good day to flush the
cooling system. Lebaron, ''95, 3.0L V6.

I ran the engine until it was hot or at least warm.

The petcock opens with no tools -- that's nice.

I drained the coolant into one of those rectangular bottles that lie
in their side; I removed the thermostat and flushed for 5 minutes with
a garden hose in the radiator neck until the water ran clear. Let it
drain, put back the petcock, put back the thermostat, filled the
radiator with 50/50, but it took less than a gallon.

Ran the engine a minute or two until I realized that maybe I had only
filled the radiator.

Went to see if I could add more coolant, but I couldn't. Usually I
can keep adding and adding, even when it starts way above empty.

I added about 3 quarts, when the capacity is 8.

After sitting all night, today I could add a 3 or 4 ounces more.

Could it be I never drained the engine after all? How could that be
when I removed the thermostat and the petcock and after flushing let
it sit until nothing was coming out of the petcock hole.?

P.S. I also got a Felpro gasket for the thermostat and it has a
brown plastic ring on the inside circumference on one side. But
nothing on the card to say which side of the gasket goes up. Which
does?
Fill the radiator with the Tstat and housing removed until you see
anti-freeze in the block. Put the tstat and housing on and finish
filling the radiator. Take a drive and check again. Works for my
Nissan, Jeep and Chevy trucks *

That sounds like a very good idea. * And it's not too late to take off
the housing and see what the level is in the chamber below it. * It
was empty of fluid when I put the housing back on**. * *And what the
level in the radiator is as best I can tell, before and after.

The worst can happen is that I lose what is in the hose, and the
radiator above the bottom of the hose. * That's not much.

**Evidence that I had drained the engine, at least somewhat, and if
somewhat, why not all the way? *So why did it only take 3 quarts. *

It's supposed to be 47 tomorrow. *Not my first choice, but warm
enough.



Jimmie- Hide quoted text -

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If you want to flush it, Prestone sells a flush kit that you can get
at any
auto parts store, probably Walmart, etc. It's a connector that you
insert in a heater hose after you cut it. You can then connect a
garden hose to it and power flush it. The kit has the complete
directions.

Following the last flush and drain, I would start filling it with PURE
antifreeze until you have the correct amount of antifreeze for a
50-50 mix. Then top it off with water.

But it also depends on what you have to do to properly dispose
of the antifreeze. If there is a municipal facility that takes it,
that
could be easy. IF not, then taking it to a shop and just paying to
have it done might be a better choice.