How To Flush Radiator 2004 Cadillac Deville Garden Hose

Batten Housight · Saturday, December 4, 2021

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Topic: Draining the cooling system - how do you do it cleanly? (Read 854 times)

Whenever I drain my radiator, coolant drains on the frame, radiator cradle and some in the pan. I have to put a drip pan under the large coolant collector to keep control of it.

Apparently, the petcock location was engineered on a Friday afternoon, the location on my '70 is right over some framing/bars and the coolant doesn't have a clear ride to the pan.

I've tried petcock 1 with the snout on it, but IIRC, it didn't work like I thought it should, I recall it leaking and no better than petcock 2, which is what I'm using now.

I wish it would drain in the pan like I want it to but it ends up going everywhere.

Any tips, tricks, better petcocks to use? Mine uses the standard 1/4" pipe thread.

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1970 Deville Convertible
Dallas, Texas

Chris,
Hi. It's usually a disaster but it doesn't have to be. What You want to do is re-direct the coolant as best you can, but the splashing effect usually sucks in plain English. If I'm replacing a radiator or draining the radiator, I usually go for a better design Petcock next time around specifically used for easier drainage. Search the Net. The first petcock you have pictured is meant to have a hose put on the end so you CAN drain it into a pan or bucket. I use a tight fitting and flexible clear hose usually available at your local ACE/ Home Depot so I can monitor the coolant flow. The clear hose always seems more flexible and suited for a job like this rather than black rubber hose. I've drained full systems without getting a drop anywhere. Just take your time, use your head, and be creative. Hope this helps! Good luck.....
Bobby

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1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

Chris, would a 90 degree drain petcock work? Attached is a picture of Gates part # G49138-0604, that is available from NAPA. This one is also made to attach a hose, such as the first one you pictured.

Daryl Chesterman

« Last Edit: September 23, 2019, 12:55:03 AM by Daryl Chesterman »

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I do it like Bobby and Daryl. My '49's radiator has a 90 degree petcock to which I attach a hose and drain the coolant into a bucket.

I also sometimes drain the block, which has 2 drain holes on the side, just above the oil pan. Originally, the threaded drain holes in the block merely had pipe plugs, and when removed the coolant would splash all over the place and was hard to capture in a bucket. Years ago I installed 90 degree petcocks in their place and by attaching hoses to them can now also can drain the block into buckets.

« Last Edit: September 23, 2019, 09:08:04 AM by Jay Friedman »

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1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod). Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

I also sometimes drain the block......

I thought I was the only nut that did this ...............
Bobby

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1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

I thought I was the only nut that did this ...............
Bobby

Nope your not the only nut -- I do it too but not every
time. It's the best way to insure getting any and all
crud out!

Mike

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1955 Cadillac Eldorado
1973 Cadillac Eldorado
1995 Cadillac Seville
2004 Escalade
1997 GMC Suburban 4X4, 454 engine, 3/4 ton
custom built by Santa Fe in Evansville, IN
2011 Buick Lucerne CX
-------------------------------------
CLCMRC Museum Benefactor #38
Past: VP International Affiliates, Museum Board Director, President / Director Pittsburgh Region

So, there's at least 3 of us nuts. (Actually, aren't we all.)

Also, there are instances when draining the block becomes important, besides when just changing the coolant. I'm thinking specifically if a cylinder head(s) must be removed for whatever reason. I think if I drained the radiator but the not the block, pulling off a head would cause much more coolant to splash all over the place than if the block had been drained .

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1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod). Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

I too concur with draining the block before pulling the heads.

Bruce. >:D

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'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Here's a tip, if you have a dog, don't leave the coolant in a drain tray.

Ya dog will hook in and drink from it, as something in it taste good to them and usually ends in death.

At least, that's what I have been told.

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Kevin and Astrid Campbell
Australia

Here's a tip, if you have a dog, don't leave the coolant in a drain tray.
Ya dog will hook in and drink from it, as something in it taste good to them and usually ends in death.

At least, that's what I have been told.

You're exactly correct. Ethylene glycol smells and tastes
sweet to animals. If you have dogs / cats please take
care to thoroughly flush all glycol residue from the
area when you finish your work.The ethylene glycol is converted to oxaylic acid
in the digestion system and it destroys their kidneys
leading to death. It takes just a teaspoon to inflict
this and there is no treatment that works once
they ingest it.

Mike

« Last Edit: September 25, 2019, 12:41:47 AM by Mike Josephic CLC #3877 »

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1955 Cadillac Eldorado
1973 Cadillac Eldorado
1995 Cadillac Seville
2004 Escalade
1997 GMC Suburban 4X4, 454 engine, 3/4 ton
custom built by Santa Fe in Evansville, IN
2011 Buick Lucerne CX
-------------------------------------
CLCMRC Museum Benefactor #38
Past: VP International Affiliates, Museum Board Director, President / Director Pittsburgh Region

Petcock... I got a joke here but Bruce will just delete the thread.
And its a matter of minutes before he deletes my post anyway so read quickly.

One of the first things I did with The Ark last year was clean out his respiratory system, finding a dead
mouse in the reservoir was my first cue.

I'm a chick, we do things the easy way, I just pulled the bottom hose off the radiator, and let it drain.
Hose back on, refill with water, start car, turn on heat to high, watch water level in radiator, top off, let run for 20 minutes (until the top hose got hot), shut down, pull off bottom hose, burn hand, re-attach hose. Repeat 7 times until the water running out of the radiator was clear. Change stat, new rad cap, remove and clean out reservoir so The Ark didn't get the plague, refill with Prestone cut 50/50 with tap water. And its green so it looks 'correct'.

Beat the crap out of the car last summer and all this summer, heavy Boston traffic, flying on the highway, hot/humid/horrible weather, never a problem, nice cool engine, never a leak or needing to be added to.

And 25 people will post here saying everything I did was wrong. Bite me, OK? I beat on this car like a rented mule all this summer while most of you were busy here typing instead of DRIVING and all it did was beg for more. So there. It will get flushed the same way next spring, new stat, new cap, fresh Prestone mixed the same way.

\m/
Laurie

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There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

AAAAARRRRHHHH...... YOU KILLED MICKEY. >:D

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Kevin and Astrid Campbell
Australia

AAAAARRRRHHHH...... YOU KILLED MICKEY.

LOL! Mickey was a corpse when I bought The Ark! LOL!
But a very well preserved corpse, who knows how long he was in there.

Logged

There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

Great, that's even worse.... ya been driving around with a dead body on board.

I'm ringing the FBI and the CIA.

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Kevin and Astrid Campbell
Australia

Long distance taxes and fees will apply!

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Current:
1976 Eldorado Convertible in Crystal Blue FireMist with white interior and top.
1969 Fleetwood Brougham in Chalice Gold FireMist with matching interior and top.

Past and much missed:
1977 Brougham de Elegance
1976 Eldorado Convertible
1972 Fleetwood Brougham
1971 Sedan de Ville
1970 de Ville Convertible
1969 Sedan de Ville
1959 Sedan deVille

It was a Mob hit -- the guy was a RAT!

Mike

Logged

1955 Cadillac Eldorado
1973 Cadillac Eldorado
1995 Cadillac Seville
2004 Escalade
1997 GMC Suburban 4X4, 454 engine, 3/4 ton
custom built by Santa Fe in Evansville, IN
2011 Buick Lucerne CX
-------------------------------------
CLCMRC Museum Benefactor #38
Past: VP International Affiliates, Museum Board Director, President / Director Pittsburgh Region

Logged

There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

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Draining the cooling system - how do you do it cleanly?