Hi guys,

Had my 6n in for a full service yesterday and was told I need to get the coolant changed before winter, so I've been looking for some videos/guides on the process.

I'm guessing its a fairly simple job I can do myself but don't like to do anything unless I've seen how its done first. Do you guys know of any guides to flush & fill a polo radiator? I've found a bunch of videos for huge american engines, but would rather find videos on similar engines.

thanks.

just pull the bottom radiator hose off n catch it in a bucket so it dont go everywhere

It is really is as simple as the above post.

However a tip for you: buy 4 jubilee clips and replace the stupid spring clips that are standard. Trust me, will save you loads of time and annoyance!

I hoped it'd be that simple!! thanks guys.

u may have to take the cap off the coolant tank and blow through it to get all of the coolant out by the way, i had to to completely empty mine, just wipe it first! haha

inz has just got in front of me with his comments about Jubilee clips, I would have said the same.

Set the heater control to 'hot' before you drain it.

You might care to run some clean water through, maybe from a garden hose before you re-fit the bottom hose.

I would recommend that you re-fill the system with at least 50% (made up to 100%with water) G12 Plus Plus from VW.

As you can never be sure that you have drained every last drop of water out, I find it best to put the G12 in neat and top up with water this makes sure that you get the full quantity in the system BUT do make sure that your bottom hose is water tight before you fill it, or you will loose your new G12.

Cooling system capacity of 6N (including the heater) is 5.6 litre, so you would need a minimum of about 3 litres of G12 Plus Plus.

Regards.

Thread Revival!

Planning on changing my coolant and temperature sender over the next couple of days, was just wondering..

Do I need the ignition or anything switched on?

I want to flush the old coolant out, from what I've read I need to take the cap off the water tank, set the heater to hot (guessing allows the drainage of the heater matrix?), disconnect the bottom hose off of the radiator and let the coolant drain out...however I'm unsure where I flush the system through?

Do I just place the hose in the bottom of the rad? or do I disconnect any other hoses and do it through there?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

All switched off, Heater to HOT, Disconnect bottom hose and drain, if flushing make sure the engine is cold (introducing cold water to a hot engine can crack the block), normally I do it by sticking the hose pipe into the top rad hose and expansion tank till the water runs clear. suggest flushing the rad as the same time.

All switched off, Heater to HOT, Disconnect bottom hose and drain, if flushing make sure the engine is cold (introducing cold water to a hot engine can crack the block), normally I do it by sticking the hose pipe into the top rad hose and expansion tank till the water runs clear. suggest flushing the rad as the same time.

Thanks mate! :) Might sound silly, but where is the expansion tank? Also by putting the hose in the top of the rad with the bottom off, this is flushing the rad from top to bottom right? (i'm led to believe the flow of water when running goes through the bottom hose first into the rad, or am I wrong?)

haha should really know the coolant system better!

Why put the heater on hot? It will make no difference what so ever...

Expansion tank is the bottle that has coolant in inside your engine bay. When I flush a system I refil the system a couple of times with fresh water and run until its upto temperature and drain (with the expansion tank cap off).

Finally got around to doing this today, cheers for the advice guys :)

thread from the dead...

can anyone recommend what antifreeze / coolant to use and how much of it i need to buy?

G12 Plus Plus from VW not the cheapest but it is the best. don't buy off ebay or whatever buy from VW as it is ALWAYS cheaper from there.

It is really is as simple as the above post.

However a tip for you: buy 4 jubilee clips and replace the stupid spring clips that are standard. Trust me, will save you loads of time and annoyance!

Spring clips are more reliable/safer, as they're constant regulated pressure.

And they're easier - use long nose pliers or moles to open them, slide them along the pipe a couple of inches, let go. Then the pipe is free. And return the same - takes three seconds literally.

Why put the heater on hot? It will make no difference what so ever...

Heater Matrix....

Should be self explanatory tbh but here we go:-

The reason for putting the heater to hot is to make draining, flushing, and refilling the system easier. Temperature set to hot means there is no restriction in the system so the matrix also gets flushed out.

The mk2/3 (not sure what others) have a bleed valve on the heater matrix so setting it on hot gets all the air out.

Heater on hot, I usually blast some fresh water through. Watch how much shit comes out.

Spring clips are easy, like really easy, and designed for the job as VW put them there.

With the proper pliers they're simple.

It's because when they build the cars. The clips are held "open" by a plastic tag with an eyelet on it, when building the car, slide pipe on, pull eyelet and the clip contracts as the clip stops it being held open

i use mole grips on spring clamps .. Find it alot easier to manover :)