15 replies to this topic

[brightkermit]

Need help!

Have a 998 mini 1987 Mayfair with side-mounted radiator.
I need to flush the radiator as I changed the heater matrix and generally just it was full of gunge coming out the heater matrix pipe.
Problem is........... can't see an easy way of doing it.
There is no drain plugs on bottom of the radiator and the bottom hose jubilee clip looks like I need the hand of a small child to reach down and unscrew it!!!!

Any ideas folks?

[DAVEY_C]

how about disconnecting the hose at the engine end and extending it down. then wash out the rad with a hose.... might do the job.....

[johnbest981]

You can get long screw drivers for the bottom hose jubilee.

I think mine is 450mm long, it was about three quid on ebay.

Before I had that I used a 'yankee' screw driver on one...

But my best was on the hard shoulder on motorway going down to Southern Mini Days. The hose came off, so I put it back on with a normal length 150mm long screwdriver.

It can be done! Just with much patience and swearing, turning the screw driver about 2 degrees at a time!

[Bungle]

disconnect the bottom hose

shove a hose pipe into the bottom of the rad with some rag around it to plug the gaps

keep filling until the water run clear

[brightkermit]

Thanks friends, I will try the advice and let you know how I get on!

[davidv]

Yes remove bottom rad. hose.It is a tight spot to get to undo and to get hose back on right.You will need a long screw driver or make one.Use a hose pipe on the top hose engine side NOT rad. side. to flush on full power.When filling back up pump top hose to remove any trapped air in system or they boil over.Then refit rad. cap.

[minidan]

i find it easier just to remove the rad with the bottom hose still attached.

[KieronBoz]

whats this sticking a hose in there process, can someone explain that indepth along with its results lol

[Bungle]

clean water will flush all the muck out

[KieronBoz]

Yeh but i dont actually know what your talking about, specifically what happens and where does the flushed water come out etc lol

[jay whiting]

Remove the bottom hose, remove top hose, remove rad. Mix som bicorbonate of soda with warm water, fill the rad and bung up both top and bottom hose tails. Leave it to sit for a couple of hours and the flush away and watch all the crud come out. Then just leave a running hose in either the top or bottom hose tail and run untill the water comes out clear. Refit, fill with water and antiefreeze and job done.

[sazal]

Yeh but i dont actually know what your talking about, specifically what happens and where does the flushed water come out etc lol

Out the hole in the top where you check the fluid level if your flushing it from the bottom?!

Edited by sazal, 24 October 2010 - 05:46 PM.

[johnbest981]

If you take the top hose, and the bottom hose off the radiator, the water will go in one end of the radiator, and out the other.
One flushed radiator.

[L400RAS]

The way I flush a rad is:

Remove it from the car - easier in my opinion as you don't have to remove the bottom hose. Put the rad cap on. squirt hose pipe into the bottom hose, and watch the crap come out of the top hose. You can fill the rad and shake it to remove more muck. Once the water runs clean the job is done, then refit the rad.

Edited by L400RAS, 24 October 2010 - 05:48 PM.

[minidan]

or ... if the rad is seriously crudded up, get a new one!