Changing coolant on LT!

[s.reef]

Need some LT1 advice, Im going to be changing the coolant and have a few questions. I know the general concept of how to change coolant and was wondering what the best combination/ratio of coolant to water for an LT1. Also what type of coolant do I get...there is a lot of mixed opinions over on camaroz28

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

For me, coolant is coolant...even the Walmart stuff is pretty good.

If you run hot, throw in a bottle of Wetter Water or something similar.

Mixtures should be 50/50 to 75 (coolant)/25 (water) depending on season.

It's not an exact science, and people tend to waaaay overthink it.

If it's summertime and you're running hot with 100% water, and your coolant system is full, 90% of the time you have other engine issues causing it to run hot (unless you have a plugged radiator or thermostat of course).

[transampimp]

I flushed mine out last month before the meet and greet. Its easy. Get yourself one of those flush kits so you can install it into your your line. I also used that radiator flush stuff. It takes a few hours of back flushing to completely clean it out. I'm currently running only 30% organic in my coolant mix. I also have a bottle of royal purple water wetter. I will add more antifreeze when the temps drop again. Try to keep your coolant off the optispark or you will have problems.

[s.reef]

ok...thanks, dont have any heat issues right now, but as the summer continues i want to change it.

[badinfluence]

i normally just take off the lower rad hose & run a garden hose to clean the rad out, then start the car to clean the engine out

[lozanoa11]

yea i just open the petcock and pump water through the hole for the thermostat. just don't get water on the opti. i got some on a regular distributor and f-ed it up.i can only imagine what it would do to the opti

[ITSSLOW]

50/50 is the best all season ratio.

As far as coolant type goes, get whatever you can find the cheapest. It all has to pass the same standards. Just make sure you get the green stuff, not Dexcool (orangish-pink) or that new Mopar stuff (yellow). Putting the wrong type of coolant in a system will cause premature seal failure and corrosion.

When ever I do a coolant flush I change the thermostat gasket also. It's $5-10 more but you've already done the labor to install it. Might as well just change it.

[JoeliusZ28]

Use green coolant and mix it roughly 50/50. not an exact science like others have said.

its actually a pretty easy job... bleeding the air out is probably the most "complicated" part.

[s.reef]

how do you bleed the air out?

[Will]

There's a little screw on one of the coolant lines, open it up while the car is running and leave it open until it stops hissing/bubbling. It should be just coolant, no air, coming out of it.

[freakshow]

Don't forget the bleeder screw on the thermostat too.

[Will]

As long as you bleed the higher one, you'll be fine.

[SlyStoner421]

I use the purple coolant (new stuff) and I also have the Primary and Secondary Fan Relay's hooked to negative thrown switches.... I can make mine run as coooool as I want, Ive had it down to roughly 165 a few days ago in city driving during 80* plus heat.

[s.reef]

I use the purple coolant (new stuff) and I also have the Primary and Secondary Fan Relay's hooked to negative thrown switches.... I can make mine run as coooool as I want, Ive had it down to roughly 165 a few days ago in city driving during 80* plus heat.

who makes the purple coolant? and how do you like it?