Hi all,

I'd like to tap into the collective experience here for advice on how to remove the screwed-in block drain plugs on my 1999 Blazer's motor.

I attempted to do this last summer but I could not get the one on the driver's side to budge. It was also super hard to access. I did not even bother to try the one on the other side.

Is there any chance I could do permanent damage in any attempt to get these out? Should I just "let sleeping dogs lie" and have a shop do a proper coolant system flush and coolant replacement with one of their fancy machines.

I know I could do a coolant flush with one of those Prestone kits but if I remember them correctly, my calculations indicated that there was no way to get the right amount of antifreeze back in to the block even after draining the radiator so as to have a final 50/50 mix.

Thanks

 

I sure wouldn't remove them. I believe that they are tapered threads and come out and go in hard. If it were me, i'd do the Prestone flush if you thought it necessary and just use a hydrometer to get the antifreeze mix right.

 

They are famous for breaking and leaking. I didn't touch mine when I flushed my system with the prestone kit. I used the cleaner per instructions and flushed with hose water then filled,cycled and drained distilled water. 2 gallons of concentrate and a gallon of distilled water to top it off. I keep my mix closer to the 70% max so in an emergency I can add water without over diluting the system. I also disconnected the radiator hoses instead of chancing breaking that drain to.