A big thanks to forum member Gary (2wdDezLX) for showing me how, helping me get this done, and providing a place and method to do this last night! We drained the coolant, ran a hose in the degas bottle, warmed it up, dropped it all out, then started flushing it with distilled water.

Unfortunately I stripped the driver's side drain plug. The 8mm Allen tool seemed like a good fit when I put it in, but it stripped it like butter. The tool was not dull or rounded - in fact it was a high quality allen socket, appeared to be a tempered tool. So at that point I looked at the insanity of dropping the starter and doing the passenger side drain plug, but it seemed awful tight under there. I think on a lift it would be easier.

So in the end we just poured through distilled water until it ran clear. The first batch dropped out was gooey green. After 15 gallons it looked like fresh water, even smelled good. I was tempted to taste it.

Is this good enough? I will be putting a bypass filter on it today, before we flush this water and put the coolant in.

Coming home, up a grade last night, it was 19 degree delta, but the high temperature of the EOT was only 206 degrees. The coolant temp was only 187. Then the coolant temp dropped further to 182. Coming down the other side of the mountain it was lower, but the coolant dropped to 174.

Is that because I am running only the distilled water right now, or is it the thermostat?

Should I remove that plug? I would have to get a drill in there, then a reverse thread tap, and put a reverse thread bolt in it, and turn it out. YUCK.

Again - a big thanks to Gary, and to the forum!

 

Thermostat is for sure bad if the temp dropped to 174. Before drilling and tapping the drain bolt, I would take a chisel and try to get it turning out, just use the hole in the middle, many times I've had luck with o-ringed plugs coming out this way.

 

And just to be clear, this plug is NOT reverse threaded right?

I was thinking of using an impact driver (the kind you smack with a hammer). I have a good sized tip for it. Same idea right?

 

Not a reverse plug, but someone else just had a problem with the hex too.

The temp drop is due to the better thermal transfer of plain water compared to the coolant mix we use.

 

Both of mine are stripped. Once the weather decides to stay nice I'll tackle it again.

 

If I can get them out, I'm putting in Fumoto valves.

I've covered them in both in pb blaster. I didn't do that last night...

 

Last fall I worked on my passenger side plug for 3-4 hours and still couldn't get it out. When Spring decides it wants to show up I'll get more serious and tackle it again. Might have a friend weld on a nut or a hex socket in.