Dumb question, I know...

How can I neatly drain the coolant from my truck? I'd rather not pull off a hose and have the crap go all over the place. I've got bone-headed pets and we use well-water.

I see the little drain nipple thing that you attach a hose to, on the lower part of the radiator, on the drivers side... but... I don't see (feel) a valve there, or a way to turn it on or off.

What's the trick?

 

Should be a plastic petcock down there somewhere.
It's a little tough to open the first time and I believe
it's "backward" ("tighten" to open) but go at it firm
but careful, and just let it drool into a drain pan (or
for you high-ground-clearance boys, a bucket).

 

Word on the street is that '04's don't have the drain petcock.

I intend on getting a better look at this thing that I think is a nipple to attach a hose to, later today. It wouldn't make sense to me as to why they'd put it where I'm looking.

The thing I'm looking at is only visible if you literally dive head first into the engine compartment, and put your head down by the computer / power steering unit. It's on the very bottom of the composite tank, in a recessed area on the drivers side of the radiator. It points directly to the drivers side of the truck. It feels like there is only 3/8 to 1/2" of clearance around it.

 

Hey marc_w,
my '03 SS also has the apparent drain fitting but no valve. I ended up just pulling the lower rad hose to drain. If you figure out how to make the drain work, let us know.

 

Yeah, I took a good look at things last night.

There is the drain nipple thing down there, but you're right, the valve system itself looks like it was never installed and the holes are blocked up like the day it was cast...

There is a small round, hollow, protrusion sticking out about a half inch, pointing towards the firewall... basically right "upstream" from the nipple and at a 90* angle to it. I'd imagine the valve would go there.

 

...a picture sure is worth a thousand words, in this case.

 

You plannin on changing over to the green stuff or something?

 

Nah, just doing the t-stat mod...

 

AH. I see. I heard the 04's have a different style T-stat than the older ones. Is that true?

When I changed mine, I only lost about a quart of coolant. Just bent the hose up real quick.