Intermix - long post, asking for advice on repair

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by j.fro

In February I went through this.
Before you pull the engine, rig up a garden hose to the coolant system and back flush the hell out of it to get all of the oil/coolant and pieces of the water pump impeller out.

Can you describe how to do that? To where, and how, you connect the garden hose?

Thank you.

[j.fro]

I made these two tools from plumbing stuff available at Lowes. the longer one is the inlet, with a valve to control flow.
Get the car in the air and remove the underpanels. Disconnect the rubber coolant hoses on the driver side where they go into the center tunnel. You'll need another short rubber hose to connect to the metal pipe. Start by pushing water towards the radiators. Once the water runs clear, flip the hoses and push water towards the engine. You're going to run a lot of water, but water's cheap. Oil in the system will destroy the rubber hoses. Of course, if you don't get all the little pieces of plastic impeller out, they are sure to jam up in the heads and cause another hot spot.

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by j.fro

I made these two tools from plumbing stuff available at Lowes. the longer one is the inlet, with a valve to control flow.
Get the car in the air and remove the underpanels. Disconnect the rubber coolant hoses on the driver side where they go into the center tunnel. You'll need another short rubber hose to connect to the metal pipe. Start by pushing water towards the radiators. Once the water runs clear, flip the hoses and push water towards the engine. You're going to run a lot of water, but water's cheap. Oil in the system will destroy the rubber hoses. Of course, if you don't get all the little pieces of plastic impeller out, they are sure to jam up in the heads and cause another hot spot.

Thanks!

What diameter size is that larger/longer pipe? I assume you push that into the hose, snuggling it in, and then turn on that water...?

Thank you.

[j.fro]

It's 2" or so. Fits snugly in the factory coolant hose, but I'll put a screw clamp on it to make it secure. Same for the drain hose.

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by j.fro

It's 2" or so. Fits snugly in the factory coolant hose, but I'll put a screw clamp on it to make it secure. Same for the drain hose.

Thank you! Awesome.

One more question...

No concern about running tap water through everything?

[j.fro]

Tap water... Good question. No worries at all. When the engine is back together, fill with distilled water and run it a up to temp. Drain that and then fill with your coolant mix of choice. When the engine is apart, use compressed air to blow out the coolant passages in the block. The heads will by dry and clean.

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by j.fro

Tap water... Good question. No worries at all. When the engine is back together, fill with distilled water and run it a up to temp. Drain that and then fill with your coolant mix of choice. When the engine is apart, use compressed air to blow out the coolant passages in the block. The heads will by dry and clean.

Thank you!