Do I have to FULLY 100% drain my coolant to change my thermostat, or will just some come out?
Having a good backyard mechanic friend do it for me.
I just got a coolant / radiator flush. Now I need to change my thermostat. Was it a waste?No, it was not a waste. An internal combustion engine creates a lot of heat in the process of burning the gasoline to create mechanical motion. That heat is carried away by the coolant circulating in the engine. The coolant is a mixture of water and certain chemicals that help to condition the water for the wide temperatures it will be at as the engine operates or sits idle. Over time, sludges and deposits can develop in the coolant system. The flush was designed to clear that sludge and such out. When the engine operates there is an ideal temperature it should operate at. The thermostat controls the flow of coolant through the engine. It is a mechanical device and moves many thousands of times over a lifetime. Like any other mechanical device, it will fail sooner or later. It is usually a good idea to have the thermostat replaced when a flush is performed although it is not always necessary. The coolant mixture is highly toxic and must be caught if it leaks. As long as it is drained into a clean container there is no reason it cannot be reused at this time. Depending on the location of the thermostat on the engine you may need to drain some coolant and you may still have some spillage when the thermostat housing is opened.I just got a coolant / radiator flush. Now I need to change my thermostat. Was it a waste?You will not loose that much at all if the housing is towards the top of the engine.I just got a coolant / radiator flush. Now I need to change my thermostat. Was it a waste?If it was just done, you will only have to replace what is spilled. I recommend you drain it halfway or so and then just re-use the coolant. You do not have to replace it if it was just redone. If you remove the thermostat housing without draining it, you will probably spill a gallon or 2 and it will be lost. If you have pets, do not let them get close to spilled coolant as they think it tastes good and will drink it. This will kill them as it is poison.I just got a coolant / radiator flush. Now I need to change my thermostat. Was it a waste?Sorry, have to drain radiator, just flushed, save coolant into bucket and reuse.I just got a coolant / radiator flush. Now I need to change my thermostat. Was it a waste?no you wont loose much is you only jus put it in n if u got a machanic m8 2 do it ull b fine I just got a coolant / radiator flush. Now I need to change my thermostat. Was it a waste?Let me be clear.No you dont have to drain your coolant to change your thermostat because your thermostat is under where your top radiator hose connects to your engine so maybe you will lose 1 pint of coolant.No biggie.top it off with water afterwards
