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Author
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Topic: 351W coolant draining.
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351-Ranger
Journeyman Posts: 2
From: Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 10-11-2004 04:50 PM
 
I currently own a 1990 2dr Ranger 2wd. the guy I bought it from had a 351W put in place of the 6cyl engine and the transmission. But he forgot to change out the radiator. So my question, is can I take out the radiator and then drain the engine block or do I have to leave it in. And where on the engine block are the plugs located.
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73torinoqcode
Gearhead Posts: 515
From: Buffalo,NY,USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 10-11-2004 06:04 PM
Cant you just pull off the radiator hoses both top and bottom? It will drain the whole system.
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351-Ranger
Journeyman Posts: 2
From: Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 10-11-2004 11:14 PM
I have no idea and there's not much clearance where the hoses are because of the frame and other mechanicals.
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73torinoqcode
Gearhead Posts: 515
From: Buffalo,NY,USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 10-12-2004 01:25 AM
Are you looking to do just a coolant change? Crawl underneath and find the radiator drain plug on the bottom of the radiator, it will be in one of the corners facing the engine. It is a petcock and it simply unscrews to drain the system. You should not have to even take off a hose. I dont know what you mean by the plugs on the engine block but if you mean freeze plugs I definitely would not go that route if you are simply trying to change the fluid.
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MLariviere
Moderator Posts: 4235
From: Biddeford,Me.USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 10-12-2004 08:30 PM
There should be a draincock on the right side on the bottom,made of plastic,if it has plastic tanks on the radiator. You may want to put a piece of hose on it to contain some of the mess when you drain it. Some will go by the valve when you open it.
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SteveLaRiviere
Administrator Posts: 48752
From: Saco, Maine
Registered: May 99
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posted 10-13-2004 02:17 PM
I've run into cars that didn't have petcocks. In those cases I just pulled the lower hose, making sure to leave the upper hose connected and the radiator cap on. That way you don't have a huge flood as the water comes out. Then as the water flow slows you slowly open the cap to drain the rest of the coolant.The block does indeed have plugs, one on each side water jacket near the oil pan rail. Often they are very hard to loosen. When rebuilding an engine, I replace them with petcocks. ------------------
'70 Mustang Mach 1 351C 4V/FMX/3.25 Open
'70 Mustang Convertible 250 I6/3 speed/2.79 Open
'72 Mustang Sprint Hardtop 351C 4V/FMX/4.30 Trac Loc
'94 F-150 XL 5.8L/E4OD/3.55 Limited Slip
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Ryan Wilke
Gearhead Posts: 3237
From: Stanton, Michigan, zip 48888
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 10-17-2004 02:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by MLariviere:
...There should be a draincock on the right side on the bottom,made of plastic,if it has plastic tanks on the radiator.....
Here's a story and a tip:
Not long ago I was draining the coolant from a radiator equipped with those plastic tanks and plastic petcock. When it was finally drained, I poured a couple of gallons of clear water through it to give the system somewhat of a rinse. After it drained clear water, I tried to close the petcock - but try as I may, it wouldn't close for the life of me!! 
Apparently, some scale had become dislodged from inside the tank and had jammed up inside the petcock, preventing it from closing.... Since it was a plastic petcock and tank; I was considering pulling the radiator to allow the repair to the tank/petcock. But that was more project than I had time for.... So I got to thinking: I heated a 3/4 full teapot of water on the stove and a coffee cup of white vinegar in the microwave oven. With the drain still blocked open, I poured the steaming-hot water into the radiator, and it promptly ran right through. I then followed that with the cup of hot vinegar (it cleans coffee pots, right?). Vola!!! As the vinegar passed through the drain, I tried turning the petcock and - sure enough - the hot water and hot vinegar softened the blockage and allowed it to close! I ran another gallon of cool water through, to rinse out any residual vinegar and then shut the petcock, and refilled the system with a fresh coolant mixture.... It worked for me!! Ryan 
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68 S-code GT
Gearhead Posts: 3835
From: Sayreville, NJ, US
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 12-30-2004 01:35 PM
Not really sure if you are replacing anything or just flushing the system. I know the early 351Ws had threaded plugs on the side of the block like the ones used to plug up the oil galleries. You might not be able to get to them or they may not even be there but there is still some coolant left in the block after the plugs or hoses are pulled.------------------
Ed S. 68 S-code FB GT 4spd(now C6)/3.25 PS PDB
68 J-code(now 289) Cp Sprint"B" C4/3L00-9" PDB PS AC
99 F150 XLT Ext/cab, 4X4, 5.4L, 3L55
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