Tried to search the FAQ's but nothing...anyone have any write ups and/or pics? Which side is the drain plug on the radiator? Any recommended anti freeze? Oem Honda/Acura? Burping or procedures on air bubbles? I know you're not suppose to Leave it open for a long period of time cause that will introduce air into the system...

In my previous car(MR2) had to drain from the middle of the car (bottom) with two main coolant hoses. Was different cause of radiator being in front and engine is towards rear

 

There are two drain plugs. One on the passenger side rear of the block and another on the passenger side rear of the radiator.

I think I used Peak premixed when I did mine last. Let it run for about 10-15 minutes, make sure you keep the overflow container filled and then seal it all up and drive for a bit. Check it when it cools and top off if necessary.

 

clean off the rad cap gasket too... when i did mine i noticed it was leaking ever so slightly through the rad cap because there was crustation on the gasket itself preventing to to seal... just had to wipe that off with a paper towel and it sealed to brand new so... just a heads up, u never know

 

If the cap isnt sealing, just get a new one. Theyre like $15.

 

^ yea waste ur money that's the spirit

 

Or preventative maintenance. Dont know about you, but I dont want my car overheating. There are certain parts I have no problem fixing or making them work the way I want, but I refuse to cheap out on the important systems (i.e. - brakes, tires, suspension, anything engine related, safety devices).

 

Ditto! Don't ever want to cheap out on things dealing with safety and the longevity of my motor

 

civic ur more anal and paranoid than even i am.. i take care of my car probably better than most. but i still know when to spend money and when it's a waste. unfortunately you don't.

and every penny counts.

lol u think cause the rad fluid hardened around the gasket the whole cap is wasted u are sadly mistaken. that's one free meal less for you

 

No, I think when the seal around a rad cap is leaking, its time to replace. The cooling system works because it is under pressure. Keeping the fluid under pressure raises the boiling point, which is why its so effective at keeping the car running cool when its 100* in the dead of summer. If the seal is compromised, the boiling point drops, and the car will overheat. Overheating for a long period of time can damage the engine.

I put 30k miles on my car a year. 95% of those miles are work related. I cannot afford to allow my car to break down due to an oversight by me.

I always weigh my options when it comes to repairs. I've been burned by "spot" fixes. Do it right, do it once.

Unfortunately we can't say the same about the automatic transmissions, now can we?

 

I personally use Honda/Acura premix from the dealer. For brake, PS and coolant, I use OEM. Will it make or break the car? Doubt it but I want the best.
For purging, I think the manual says to leave the cap off and run the car until the fans turn on. You should see the coolant level start to drop when the car starts and the water pump gets going.

So I guess I must be more anal then Morgan then, even he doesn't use the blue coolant.
Actually, depending on who you talk to, the radiator cap is almost a maintenance item. Some suggest to replace it every few years. If I see mine sealing properly, will I replace it? No. But if I see crust building around the edge of the cap, I'm going to spend money for a new one. I can drop 15 on the car no problem after spending probably 1000 bucks on mods. Actually it only costs 9.07 to have an OEM Denso cap shipped to my house.

 

No one has any pics? Guess I'll snap some when I attempt to tackle this...it's been raining here in socal so hope the rain stops by tomorrow morning

 

 

I pulled both front tires off my TL searching for the engine drain plug. I could not find it. A real picture rather than a cartoon would be nice.

 

Ne need to pull the wheels off.

From under the car:

Look at the rear of the engine, just above the half shaft. The bleed nipple is towards the passenger side.

Its tight up there, you have to look carefully.

 

That cartoon is probably one of the best representations of the drain plug. It is literally in the back of the engine block. There are a lot of parts that block the view of the nipple. I had to park on a sidewalk to make room to slide under the car reach up and loosen the plug til it started leaking. It's a screw with a nipple on it. The nipple is so u can attach a hose to direct the leaking coolant. (like in the cartoon).

I use Prestone concentrate mixed with distilled water 1/2 and 1/2. First I flushed it with the Prestone super flush (I think that's what it's called). I just did a radiator system drain, then filled with super flush. Drive for about a week with it in the system being careful to monitor coolant levels and engine temperatures the whole time. Then do the entire coolant system drain including the coolant in the engine block. Fill it up with the coolant and continue to monitor the coolant levels and engine temperature for a few weeks.

 

Would have liked to see actual pic but the cartoon will do just fine. If I can drive to my buddy's shop and get the cl on a lift will definitely snap sum pix. Think imma go with Honda/Acura oem coolant. Hope my cap is still sealing and not corroded. If not then the denso one sounds good. Any particular links to a site where they sell em?

 

I found actual pictures of the block drain plug on another thread so I'm taking that information along with the location descriptions and headed back to the garage this morning.

 

Good luck.

 

Part Number: 19045-PAA-A01

http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...All&vinsrch=no

#9 in the link, any acura/honda dealer should stock the same part. Price is the diff probably. If you're getting OEM coolant, pick up the rad cap there and bring in this price sheet to get cheaper price if theirs is higher.

 

does any one know the diameter of the hose we should use to connect to the nipple?

 

It's just something to keep it neat, I just let it drip out, there wasn't much in there if I remember correctly. If I had to guess, a tube slightly bigger than fish tank tubing.

 

As I was unscrewing it, it was running down my arm. Don't let it splash in your face, just something to watch out for.