Well, after reading many horror stories about dishonest mechanics and having it happen to me once already, I have decided to only send it in for major things. TOday, I am replacing all of my radiator hoses since they are soft and replkacing the coolant. How to I "flush" the coolant system. Also, my radiator cap haas been quite hard to find. My coolant resivor is full of what looks like water so I think it needs to be changed. If I can manage, I would also like to drain the brake fluid. ANy suggestions?

my engine is also making a funny noise. there is a slight hissing noise coming from around the PS pump and there is a noise like an old GM analog clock. THe noise sound like one of those clocks is running.

The M103 is the easiest engine to do a coolant change of any car I have ever owned.

There are two drains - radiator (behind the pop out cover under the bumper) and the RH side of the block below the rear manifold. Both have nipples you can attach hoses to for spill free draining.

To flush the engine remove the heater inlet hose from the LH rear of the cyl. head and flush both the block and heater core circuit.

Duke

But then, aren't you supoosed to, upon refill, remove one of the front bolts on the head to bleed any air? One of the bolts along where the temp sensors are. They're really just plugs.

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

I've never had a problem refilling the system. Fill it SLOWLY! I start with six quarts of anti-freeze, then continure with distilled water. When the level is at the full mark on the supply tank, start the engine and monitor the level (cap off). As the engine warms up increase revs to about 1500. Once the thermostat opens the level will drop, so add coolant to keep the level near the full mark.

When the thermostat begins of open, air will bleed out of the nipple at the top of the water outlet to the supply tank. Once the system will not take any more coolant, install the cap and take it for a short drive.

Monitor the supply tank level over the next few thermal cycles until it stabilizes and adjust as necessary.

The other task I do as part of a coolant change is clean the recovery tank. Disconnect the overflow hose at the fill neck and attach a length of service hose. Siphon out any coolant then siphon in about a pint of water and siphon it out to flush the tank. If the effluent is dirty reapeat the process until it is clean.

Duke

Another option for refilling is to buy some spare thermostat o-rings and refill from the thermostat housing. You don't need to detach any hoses, and filling the block goes quite a bit faster.

When the block is almost filled (or rather, the housing almost up to where the thermostat would sit, put the thermostat back in, re-attach the housing, and finish topping off from the overflow tank.

A little more work, a little less tedious.