quick query on mk2 cooling system - urgent

[jmsheahan]

Quick query on mk2 cooling system - I'm using RJ's guide but have a slight problem.

Drained the system yesterday, tried to flush today. Expansion tank fills up quite quickly and seems to take a good minute or so to fully empty. However I'm only getting a trickle from the top hose, not a gush as it were - should it not be pouring out?

I haven't removed the stat (was changed 6 months ago) so I know some coolant will remain in the system but is this normal? Both top and bottom hoses have been removed and rad has been flushed.

It's raining and I've seriously had enough of this car 

Thanks!

[Reasty]

Are you talking about the return hose for the expansion tank? it will only be a trickle untill the engine is reved,then you should get a stream of water,if this isn't happening then it may be you have a faulty water pump.

[jmsheahan]

Sorry, the top hose on the radiator. The water is going somewhere because the tank empties and there is a reasonable trickle from the hose, just not a gush and not much from the bottem one. I just want to make sure it fills up ok when I start putting G12 in. I haven't started the engine because the hoses arnt connected to the rad and no coolant in the system.

[jmsheahan]

I think it is going through ok - just put both hoses back on and filled it up a bit with hose. Left it a minute and removed bottom hose again and it all came gushing out.

[rubjonny]

the way i flush it is to disconnect the top & bottom hoses from the rad, both matrix pipes and the top hose on the waterpump. then shove the pipe into every hole you have now made and run the pipe till clean water comes out.  you wont get massive amounts of flow thru the engine block with the hosepipe
upper hose off the waterpump I remove as it allows the block to drain fully, not a massive problem if you dont remove it really, can be a bit of a mare as space is limited down there!

[jmsheahan]

Thanks for the heads up 

Will reflush again in a mo when it stops raining. Fluids seem to take a little while to go into the system from the expansion tank - is that normal? Damn my aircooled background  Feel an idiot with anything watercooled!

[rubjonny]

the system takes around 5l from empty, so it takes a long time for the fluid in the tank to get around the system, perfectly normal. also hose is quite small too!  If you fill the tank to the brim with a bottle of coolant it'll sit in there for a bit before it fully empties out and you can put the next bottle in