Best way you have found to drain coolant on Pro RMK

[dschwindt]

Just wondering if anyone knows the best way to drain/flush all of the coolant from a 2011 Assault pro RMK. I have the service manual but it doesnt really state a way to drain just bleed the system of air. I am looking to change mine as the color is changing and it ran last year so time for some fresh stuff.

Thanks

 

[Gracefull]

Just wondering if anyone knows the best way to drain/flush all of the coolant from a 2011 Assault pro RMK. I have the service manual but it doesnt really state a way to drain just bleed the system of air. I am looking to change mine as the color is changing and it ran last year so time for some fresh stuff.

Thanks

take your wet/dry shop vac. clean it really good. crack the hose connection at the head and thermostat while you hold the end of the shop vac there, and it will suck out all the coolant. if your vac is nice and clean, you can even reuse the coolant. and no mess in the engine bay.

 

[tbeaton]

that won't pull it all out. your going to have to suck it from the coolant bottle as well. right out the top. i did this 2 times last month and i still don't think i got it all.

 

[skibreeze]

I stuff a 1/2" hose down the coolant bottle and siphon it out. Then remove the bottom hose and repeat the process.

 

[R_8_N]

I stuff a 1/2" hose down the coolant bottle and siphon it out. Then remove the bottom hose and repeat the process.

yep. cleanest way ive found.

 

[theultrarider]

Shop vac out of the top of the coolant bottle. Crack the bleeder valve. Give it a couple of minutes in the system will be dry.

 

[dschwindt]

Shop vac in the coolant bottle looks to be the winner thanks all for the help.

 

[F-Bomb]

Your post states "bleeding the system of air"? Are you talking about once you go about refilling the coolant?

If you are completely flushing the system you'll need to pump water through it so you basically follow the procedure twice including running it all through your engine...PIA One complete cycle will pretty much clean it out from all the system enough that your coloring will be consistent with brand new coolant. I struggle to imagine this process since most guys don't do sleds coolant change EVER! We do em mostly associated with a rebuild or an engine modification but rarely as an aspect of service and even then it's kind of rare to flush as opposed to just getting the fluids that are above your work. But here you go....

shop vac the fill bottle as you release the bleed screw and suck as much out as you can....now if you have LOW PRESSURE ONLY air you can also then push the air from the refill bottle and use your shop vac at the bleeder screw hole. CAUTION do not force a ton of air pressure through the system. This will generally work most of the coolant through your rear cooling system. You will have a bit left in the top end of the motor but it's irrelevant for this job. (if you are doing a complete flush plug it all back up and refill (crazy perfectionists guys use distilled) water and repeat)

Now the tips section:
refill with sled flat.....leave the bleeder screw cracked and fill until it rolls or bubbles out freely....close bleeder..then drag the sled back drop the track off the lift or elevate the front so it's significantly higher than the back and start her up with the refill cap OFF bleeder screw open and the rest of the bubbles should work through (just to get the last air worked through on a complete refill)...its kind of messy so have your shopvac by the bleeder screw to catch the crap as it works out. (if you dont drain your rear coolers you usually don't have to go through this process)...once you see solid coolant instead of bubbly your done...as you fill sometimes it's a good idea to be giving the refill bottle some shaking...and even have someone wiggle the rear of the sled around...basically burping the system and bringing any bubbles to the highest point....I also stop and put the sled in reverse and run it a little bit (30 seconds max) backwards....

cap it all up and make sure it's holding water after you've cleaned up your mess. go away a bit...come back and see if the coolant bottle is holding at level....take it out and test....if your sled overheats you'll know you suffer the dreaded trap bubble...sometimes jacking the front and running sled with the coolant bottle at the highest (tipping it so it' s higher than the bleeder screw) and shaking everything violently will work it through. If everything is sealed up the two points of air removal are always the bottle and the bleeder. Just work back and forth. One extreme case out in the snow by my lonesome I had to walk the sled on it's edge/side with the bottle at the highest point in reverse (that takes skills) to work out a block...
there you go