Draining the cooling system

Hello US tigerists,

This is paul,speaking from paris, france,where my 260 and i are dreaming on the california sun...
I m gonna change my old rad for an aluminium one ,with his fan shroud(which is in a chroming session) but i have to drain the system and it is specified in my workshop manual that i have to open the radiator drain tap AND the two cylinder block drain taps. But why ? Why draining the two cylinder block?
Is it for allowed the air flowing in the system and accelerate the draining? Can we drain only by opening the radiator tap?
Thank you for your responses and sorry for my poor language...
happy tigerist!!!

Paul

Hi Paul,

I am doing what you are about to do. Since my drain plug was frozen shut, I took a sharp blade and cut the lower radiator hose. The plugs on the engine were frozen shut as well. I took the hose and flushed the engine. Installed a new water pump, new aluminum radiator, new hoses and a new belt.
Since this car has set for a very long time I also installed a Gano radiator filter.

This all includes of course, new anti-freeze with a fifty percent mix of distilled water.

If the valve on the radiator is stuck chances are you will not get it unstuck with a spanner/wrench. Just put a big pan under the car, get to cutting the hose and let it go. Or, try and wiggle off the old hose. Don't forget to clean the overflow tank.

Who is doing your aluminum radiator?

Mike

Hello mick
Thank for the response,i m gonna try this week,the rad is from brian in uk,from sunbeam spares co.
Is it necessary to open the two cylinder block taps?

It would be nice if they open. If not, like in my case, it is not the end of the world. Just flush with a hose. You guys have better water than we do in SoCal.

Mike

Cleaning that cooling system.

If you can find some white vinegar, run a couple of gallons thru the system as you drain it with the engine running. This little chemistry trick will scour the block & hoses to get the chunks out.
As to California water; I have to be in Sandy Eggo next week and will bring my own New Hampshire brew just in case. Thx fer the tip, Mike. randy

Randy, that is a very interesting suggestion. Does the vinegar just loosen thing or totally dissolve the bad stuff? I ran a so called "professional cleaner" through the system before putting in my recently recored radiator. I then put in a Gano filter in the upper radiator hose. If the vinegar just loosens things, I am thinking there could be the possibilty of clogging a radiator as a result.

Paul, I know you said you were installing a new radiator. Regardless of whether you clean the block or not with vinegar or some other cleaner, I recommend you put in a coolant filter like the Gano or Tefba. Supposedly the old Ford blocks continue to produce metal flakes in the cooling passages forever. Thus it is a never ending problem with which to deal to avoid radiator clogging. I am not sure if this has been brought to your attention yet, but since you are a new Tiger owner, I just wanted to be sure you knew.

Regards, Gene

I'm bitter I didn't think of this. We use the heck out of white vinegar in this household. Remove facet screens, soak em' in white vinegar. Turns the hard water deposits into mush. Pour the stuff on a cut when you damage your skin. The list is endless.

Of course it will work in a cooling system...........I'm bitter I tell ya'

Hello guys
Thank you for your responses,i m gonna open the three taps to drain everything correctly,put in a liter of white vinegar with water during 10 mn and purge with clear water.I m searching water wetter to fill the system but i don t find it for the moment... I will finish by puting my new alu rad and chromed fan shroud,and the beast will be ready for drag sessions !
Thank you again

Paul