removing water pump to change coolant?

[The motor guy]

I was told that if you remove the water pump on an engine it drains out the entire block of coolant. My question is am I risking ruining the oring seal in the water pump but removing it and reinstalling it? My other thought is to buy a bunch of distilled water and then just drain it and fill it up with distilled water then run it and drain it again and then fill it up again with coolant so that way I get about a 50/50 mixture. I believe the coolant capacity for my truck is about 27 quarts.

 

[nitehawk55]

Would just as good to pull the lower rad hose if the rad doesn't have a drain cock .

Removing the pump makes no sense .

 

[Warstud]

That's CRAAZZZY. Just remember that after you drain the water out there's still some left over in the system. So adding a 50/50 mix to that may give you a 30/50. Try a 70/50 mixture instead. And keep some concentrate around in case it's to diluted after you test it with hydrometer.

 

[nitehawk55]

May only be a bit left in the lower water jackets but it depends on the design of the engine .

 

[simple_gifts]

Quote:

That's CRAAZZZY.


+1

Quote:

Just remember that after you drain the water out there's still some left over in the system. So adding a 50/50 mix to that may give you a 30/50. Try a 70/50 mixture instead.


Pretty sure the % ratios need to add up to 100. lol.

I drained my B2300 and filled with regular tap water; drained that and then added my 50/50 mixture. Overall, it might be a 45/55 ratio, but for my area, not a concern.

 

[artificialist]

Unless the water pump was the lowest point of the cooling system, removing it will not help lower the coolant level.

I once had a guy supply me with a new water pump and he ordered me to not drain any of his coolant, just top off what was left in the engine after the pump was installed.

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Pretty sure the % ratios need to add up to 100. lol.


That reminds me. A guy I worked with put the Concentrated Anti-freeze in his car and it burned it up... one cold night as were getting out of work.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Warstud
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Pretty sure the % ratios need to add up to 100. lol.


That reminds me. A guy I worked with put the Concentrated Anti-freeze in his car and it burned it up... one cold night as were getting out of work.

My dad did that but something different happened with his 1971 Toyota Corolla.

His engine got major corrosion because the inhibitors found in coolant don't work without water. He had to flush his cooling system with the strongest chemical the auto parts stores had.

 

[wirelessF]

Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
May only be a bit left in the lower water jackets but it depends on the design of the engine .


I observed something like that when I was replacing the weeping water pump gaskets on my 02 Silverado V8 (or any LS motor). I wanted to get all the coolant out of the block since I wanted to change the Dexcool at that time. I hooked my shopvac at blower mode and blasted air though the coolant ports. Surprise dexcool still in the motor. And learned the hard way NOT to get dexcool on your face.

 

[nitehawk55]

Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
May only be a bit left in the lower water jackets but it depends on the design of the engine .


I observed something like that when I was replacing the weeping water pump gaskets on my 02 Silverado V8 (or any LS motor). I wanted to get all the coolant out of the block since I wanted to change the Dexcool at that time. I hooked my shopvac at blower mode and blasted air though the coolant ports. Surprise dexcool still in the motor. And learned the hard way NOT to get dexcool on your face.


LOL...sorry , couldn't help it . Yes the SBC's left coolant in the jackets , they were hard to flush out if you had a dirty one , generally several flush and fills were your best bet .

 

[dailydriver]

When I changed out my water pump (LS1), I ran water from the garden hose into each head coolant port, then I jacked up the back of the car on a downhill driveway to drain most of the tap water out.

It got most of the old stuff out, but then I was not changing from Dex Cool anyway, just wanted 99% NEW/FRESH DC and distilled in there.

 

[The motor guy]

Well I wanted to get all the coolant out and put new stuff in. Is it necessary to get it all out? Or should I just keep it simple and drain the coolant out by opening the pet cock at the bottom and changing the thermostat and then just refilling with 50/50 mix and call it a day.

 

[dixon700]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I was told that if you remove the water pump on an engine it drains out the entire block of coolant. My question is am I risking ruining the oring seal in the water pump but removing it and reinstalling it? My other thought is to buy a bunch of distilled water and then just drain it and fill it up with distilled water then run it and drain it again and then fill it up again with coolant so that way I get about a 50/50 mixture. I believe the coolant capacity for my truck is about 27 quarts.

If the 6.7 is like the 5.9 the water pump is like $40 and only 2 bolts. I flushed out my radiator while it was disconnected and I removed my thermostat and water pump and ran more water through it. Then I poured probably about a 60/40 or so of zerex go5 and distilled in mine.

 

[The motor guy]

I'm just going to drain the coolant, change the thermostat and refill with the same amount that came out that way I can get the mixture right. Thanks guys.

 

[dixon700]

If your near 100k mi I would spend the extra $40 and replace the water pump. Hardest part is the belt removal.

 

[The motor guy]

i'm at 65,000

 

[dixon700]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
i'm at 65,000

That's still pretty low mileage, I'd probably wait till next coolant change to do the water pump. Make sure you check your freeze point with a refractometer after you put the new in and make sure to stick with a 190* thermostat.