Hi all,

I realized that although I cannot get the coolant drain plugs out of my block to do a complete drain of the coolant, I do have an OEM block heater that was installed when the truck was new. I realized that removing this might provide a way to get a good amount of extra coolant out instead of trying to use the drain plugs. It looks to be pretty easily accessible through the left front wheel well.

My questions are:

• Does anyone have any experience with removing an originally installed one of these and reinstalling it?
• Is it easy to do?
• Does it allow much more coolant to drain out of the block?

Thanks

 

 

<br /><br />My local water is on the hard side so I'm wanting only distilled water in it. I've lived in places before where this would not be a problem not now.

 

What's up with the block drain plugs? Are they damaged? Are they the ones with a square drive sticking out from them. I have a tool that you put the proper 3/8" drive socket on, and then you hit it with a hammer to turn and break whatever you are turning free. The shock does more than you would think when you are keeping the tool tight in the direction you want to go with your hand. Are you familiar with them? Might have to adapt it to fit your drain plugs with some sort of socket adapter (gotta use your imagination) and then hold it tight while someone hits it with a 3# hammer and a 1/2" drive extension you no longer care about..

Here is an example.

Also impact sockets for square items like the block drain plugs I have seen on mine. Don't know if this is the correct size or not. https://omegatec.com/APEX-3612-3-8-S...are-Drive.aspx

As far as removing the original block heater..... if it is the o-ring type there is usually a nut to tighten a backing clamp. Once the nut is loose it might come out by wiggling with a pair of vice grips or channel locks. Worst case, destroy it and replace with a regular plug. If you actually get the old heater out in one piece, replace the O-ring with a Viton one.

Been my experience that you can get quite a lot of water out both sides when using the block drains. So freeze plug thing on one side probably not that effective.