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Now would be a good time to put
in a 160 deg Thermostat and flush
the system. Many people recommend
using regular Anti-freeze (the green stuff) instead of the Dex-Cool that
General Motors suggests. If you do decide to use Dex-Cool again, DO NOT
PUT IN THE CLAY TABLETS! They will most likely dirty up the coolant and
might even clog your heater core.
Preparation: Turn the engine off and let it cool for a while before
beginning. Leave off until finished. This will help to keep you from
getting injured, and the coolant will not be flowing. Put the bucket below
the water pump (as indicated in the picture) Put spare rags on the intake
manifold (or homeplate) and stuff one under the small rubber elbow (blue)
that connects the metal pipe (green) to the throttle-body.
Step 1: Unscrew the screw-type hose clamp from the coolant reservoir.
Remove the overflow hose and carefully lower the end into the bucket (as
shown in pink). Coolant will probably begin spilling out of it. This
should not last but a few moments. Reconnect the hose to the coolant tank
and tighten the screw clamp.
Step 2: Unscrew the screw-type hose clamp from the throttle-body side of
the hose (orange). Disconnect the overflow hose, and move it to the metal
pipe (green). Decide how much of the stock hose you want to trim off (just
a few inches) and cut it. Remember: measure twice, cut once. You do not
want the hose to hit the alternator or serpentine belt, so don't cut too
much. Then reconnect the small length of hose that you cut to the
throttle-body. This should keep any more coolant from falling on the water
pump and Opti-spark. Let the long length of overflow hose from the coolant
tank hang down out of the way. There should no longer be coolant in it, so
you should not have any problems.
Step 3: Using the door panel remover, disconnect the rubber elbow (blue)
from the throttle-body. I found that by using the door panel remover, I
didn't have to mess with the spring clamp. The hose just slid right off.
There might be some coolant spilling during this, clean it up with the
rag. Eventually, it should stop dripping. There might also some coolant
out of the throttle-body might drip into the bucket.
Step 4: Get the two pairs of pliers. Use one to rotate the rubber hose
(blue) and the other to rotate the clamp until you can see the ends of the
spring clips holding the tube on the long metal pipe (green) that runs
from the rear of the engine to the front between the valve cover and the
intake manifold. Move the spring clip inward (away from the end of the
hose) by squeezing the clip with the pliers. Then slide the hose off the
pipe (green).
Step 5: Take the long length of overflow hose (purple) from Step 2 and
attach the unconnected end (the end that you previously cut) to the metal
pipe (green). Use the screw clamp from the front of the throttle-body
(also in Step 2) to hold it together. You might decide to use a zip-tie
(yellow) to attach it to the larger heater hose so it doesn't move around
too much.
Start the car and let it run for a few minutes to make sure everything is
connected properly. Double-check all the connections and clamps.
If you do not decide to switch anti-freeze, or flush the system, you will
need to add some more anti-freeze to compensate for the amount that you
lost. Fill the tank to the appropriate marker on the reservoir. Bleed the
system as it says in the Factory Service Manual.
GOOD LUCK!!
Cheston
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