Draining coolant in water jacket (1 Viewer)

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Nov 14, 2012
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Johnston, Iowa
My '77 2F engine has a circulating block heater that's never used by me and is now slowly leaking (installed by a PO). The original cock and plug on the block were taken out for this heater to be installed, so I'd like to remove it and install the correct cock & plug. My question -- when I remove the heater, will only the coolant in the water jacket drain -- or will more of the radiator coolant be syphoned out, too? I just flushed and replaced all coolant last year, so I hate to mess with that entire process again, but will if I have to.

Thanks!
 
You will have to add some coolant but, then again, you already have to do that because some has escaped.

Just remove the heater with the plug handy and thread the plug in quickly to minimize your coolant loss. Refill. Done.
 
Exactly what I'd hope I'd hear, FishTacos! Thanks.
 
I had the same issue but couldn't get the plug out from the block heater. Tried with everything I had. Be prepared for that
 
Get some high temp pipe dope or Teflon tape for your block drain upon installation and you will never have a problem getting it out again. Also, no leaky.
 
Drain the radiator into a bucket to reuse, enough of the block will drain through the lower radiator hose to make a huge difference. You will be much happier when you try and pull that plug out and not have a ton of fluid gushing out everywhere, that is not a small hole. Then once new plug is in just poor the fluid back into the radiator and top off with some new mixture.
 
If you are talking about the block drain at the back, I would definitely remove that to drain the coolant--it seems to be a magnet for trash to accumulate there. I would not reuse the drained coolant--I tried that recently and tried to filter the stuff before reinstalling it-through a coffee filter-no way would I put this stuff back in the engine! In fact, after seeing this gunk, I would change it every year just to be sure. Buy fresh--cheap insurance.
When you refill, be sure you have a top vent--(at least above the rad cap), to get all the air out--it will take forever(seems like)
 
I changed all the hoses and replaced all coolant last summer -- so it's only one year old. And I replaced the short piece of hose that connects the lower drain plug with the heater unit, so the water jacket was drained, too. Some crud came out, but it wasn't too bad, actually. I should have completely removed the heater at that time -- but I always seem to find ways to do things twice!
 
I use a paint strainer sitting inside a funnel
 

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