Dear Ferraristi, Here's a step-by-step procedure on changing the coolant on a Testarossa (85-91) Procedure is based on a stone-cold engine.....not hot, not warm....cold....as in not started since yesterday. Aww....Britany (21)....stop being a showoff and lets get started. 1. Remove Lamborghini out of garage....if you have already done this...proceed to step 2. Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, 2. Jack up Ferrari using high quality jack and place on 4 heavy duty jack stands. By now, you should know where the jack stand placement points are....if not, refer to owner's manual. (I place a piece of cloth between the jack and the frame to minimize scratches ) Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, After the car is jacked up and safe.... 3. Open the expansion tank....with OEM cap.....we won't go there.... 4. In each corner above the rads are the bleed screws. They look like nipples...no, we won't go there either..... Open them (10mm). (coolant will not come out) 4. In the center of the firewall, just under the rear window, you will see another bleed screw on the thermostat housing...open that too (10mm bolt) Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, 5. On the bottom of each rad is a brass bolt (14mm) with a copper copper crush-washer. You may not easily see the bolt as it may have become discolored over time. It is next to the bottom hose mount. If you are doing this the first time, you may want to go through the extra procedure of removing the wheel-well panels. This will give you all the room you need instead of "feeling your way around" Have a very large drain pan and large funnel ready. Open the drain bolt and drain ONE RAD AT A TIME. ( use your ratchet to break-loose the bolt but undo the bolt by hand so when it gets ready to come off, you will have your funnel ready. ( The funnel is just used to direct the large stream of coolant down towards the drain pan) ...you're going to make a mess, no matter how you try. Once the rad is fully drained....fully! ....proceed on to the second. I usually just start with the driver's side....I don't think it makes a difference. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, 6. On the back of the engine block, you will see two (one per head) brass bolt drain plug (22mm) next to and on the inner side of the distributer cap. Use some leverage to slowly break it loose. It's in a odd position and your ratchet could slip denting your expansion tank or...god forbid, hit your $900.00 OEM distributer cap. Again, do one side at a time and drain Fully! The precats will really be in your way. Place the drain pan underneath and use a small but large open funnel with a hose to direct the coolant to the drain pan. ....yes, you'll still make a mess. Your old coolant should look like this if you change it once a year per the owner's manual. Also, I do a coolant flush once a year too. You can't see by the picture but the coolant is so clean, you can see the bottom of the drain pan. ....that's what I'm talking about! Now, everything should be drained and we're ready to start the refill procedure. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, 7. Now, we're ready to put the drain plugs back. Before you do, you should clean off each plug with some Simple Green and a toothbrush. Apply some copper anti-seize to the threads...no, not the cheap grey stuff....the copper one! Put on new copper crush washers and re-insert all 4 drain plugs. (2 rad, 2 engine block) If you count 3....you're missing one. Fpimp crush washer parts numbers... Rad # 10284460 X2 Block # 10257060 X2 Since I do a flush with distilled water, I use the old washers one more time as I will replace with new ones when I drain the flush after 6 hrs of drive time. ....yes, I get to do the whole procedure a second time! If you want to skip the flush prodedure....I don't recommend you do but..... Mix coolant and DISTILLED WATER to your preference mix. From the info on the board, I will go down to a 50/50 mix. I use the prestone green....comes in 1 gallon yellow containers. You will use about 3 1/2 gallons of coolant mix. Now that all your drain plugs are back on and tight....bleed screws still open, start to refill....slowly. I add coolant until it starts to drain out of the top center bleed screw. Usually, I fill all the way to the top of the expansion tank. Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, Now that we have the coolant to the top of the engine....let's start the air-bleeding procedure. First, before you start the engine, wash off the precats with fresh water so when you start, you won't get the sickly sweet smell. ....ask me how I know. With the expansion cap off and ALL the bleed screws closed, start the engine. As soon as the engine starts, the water pump will pull the level of the expansion tank down. Fill close to the top. Watch this level carefully, you will see air bubbles come out but as soon as the water starts to get warm, the level will overflow. As soon as you see the level rise, put back the expansion tank cap. Now, with the engine running...not fully warm, open the left bleed screw till some coolant drains out. When it does, close it. Move to the other rad....do the same. Go to the center bleed screw....do the same. Since the center bleed screw is far, use a very long extension on your socket. If you don't have one...buy it....life will forever be easier. By now, the engine is warm, the fans have turned on... Again, do the same bleed procedure as before. Put a cloth around the rad bleed screws as dripping coolant will be picked up by the blowing air from the fans and will flick all over the place. ** Don't use a cloth on the center screw....to easy to have it get caught in the accessory belts. ** With the engine hot, open the bleed screws slowly and only a small amount. You should see coolant bubble out about 1/4" above the screw. More than that....you've opened the screw too much. Once you just have pure coolant coming out of each screw...close up and you're done...for now. Go for a drive, and when you pull into the garage, do the bleed procedure one more time....yes, you'll still have air in it. Once the engine cools down, check the expansion tank level and add to the specified level....about 6cm below the top of the tank. For the heck of it, do the bleed proceedure....one....more....time.... Once pure coolant comes out...no air, you're good to go. That concludes the coolant change procedure. My price..... One, tall, thin, blonde in a little black dress with high heels....oh, and skimpy panties ! ....please. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, Brandy (20) loves a Testarossa with fresh coolant ! Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, No, you remember Lakeland correctly. I just really really work at it. Bawhaahahaha...all I saw was.....professional.....hand.... I was just thinking.... ...job? BTW, please excuse the dirty condition of my TR. It's been so cold in Florida, I haven't washed the car since the first of November....and still drive it everyday. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
Shamile, if you thinks its been cold in Florida you should come over to the UK to know what cold is. Actually its been cold and wet. I was in Florida last Christmas and walked around in a tee shirt I much prefer your cold P
Dear Ferraristi, ...um....next time you come to Florida, can you bring Ashleigh? please? Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
You can skip post 9. I can assure you the factory never did that and for 25 years I haven't either. Just making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Brian - I have found this step to be important. When bleeding my Testarossa I evacuated a fair bit of air out of those bleed screws. And as Shamile suggested, I always did it again after a few miles on the clock, and found more air. Don't mean to challenge your expertise, just reflecting upon my own experience. Jim S.
Bleed it right the first time before the motor even starts and leave it alone until it needs changing. If that does not work you are doing it wrong. Doing it badly is never a substitute for doing it correctly.
Shamile Awesome Post! Very hard to do with out knowing where everything is. Didn't know you need new crush washers either. Great pics of the brands you use as well. Very-very helpful! I was thinking...would making coolant catchers out of tin foil help in re-directing the mess?? Thanks for all your time posting! I'm sure you will be helping a lot of people on this one. Big Mahalo at ya Emery
Even though I will never attempt this myself, I appreciate your many efforts, documentation, and write-ups. Truly an asset to this community.
Dear Ferraristi, Thanks for the kind words guys. I posted it all in one morning....I could barely type by the end. .....and yet still no tall thin blonde knocking at my door..."Hi, I was sent from F chat" Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice !
Dear Ferraristi, I use a small but open neck funnel with a hose attached like...... Sandy (21) ! ......show Emery what I'm talking about..... ...wait for it........ Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, Um.....Sandy, don't use this funnel for coolant.....you will get sick. Emery, don't use this funnel for alcohol....your TR will get sick. Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice ! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Intersting commebtary and what do they say...................A picture is worth a thousand words.................or it can keep you speekless!!!! Thanks Mark
Oh man...this is a trip down memory lane! This was 8 years ago....and all the girlies are old ladies now lol. I haven't slowed down, settled or gotten fat. Last weekend....pounding bass EDM! Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice! Image Unavailable, Please Login Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
