Mondial 8 Coolant Change

Alanmondial · Mar 20, 2004

Hi, the water header tank of my '81 Mondial 8 has rusted through. I've bought a replacement from those nice people at Eurospares in London, England. I now want to change the old for the new. Unfortunately the factory manual doesn't give me any details as to draining down the coolant system and refilling it.

Can anyone give a mechanical novice a step by step guide to draining down (where do I open the system to drain off the coolant etc) and refilling (type of anti-freeze I should use and quantity of coolant to refill with etc.

Many thanks

pma1010 · Mar 20, 2004

pma1010 said:

Alan
There are a couple of things you need to do. First, before you start the job, recognize that coolant contains ethyline glycol. THis makes it sweet, sticky, non-evaporative and loved by dogs, cats and occasionally children. It is highly poisonous stuff and can kill fido, so keep the area clean. Second, arm yourself with a good sized bucket, a large towel (not the one you take to the beach, the one that you wipe the dog with once he's been playing in the garden for a few hours on a rainy day) and a flexible hose. Third, loosen the lug nuts, but don't remove the right rear wheel and then jack the car up onto four jack stands so that you can get underneath it. Make a cup of tea.

Next, remove the panel under the front - mid section of the car (covers, among other things, the junction of the heater hose and the radiator hose). Place large receptical beneath that same junction. Remove hose clip, in one swift movement, pull the heater hose from the hose barb and point into your receptical AND, taking your other hose/a spare length of heater hose, get one end on to the hose barb the other in your bucket. You can also use a deflector of some sort. A lot more comes out the barb than the hose in your left hand (which drains the heater core, the other drains the radiator). It'll come out in fine style. Several gallons. Once under control, you can remove the cap from the overflow tank. Comes out lickity spit now, doesn't it? You can leave that draining. Go and wash off all the EG you are wearing. Change shirt.

Remove the right rear wheel and fender liner. Below the header on #1 you'll see a drain cock. Tickle this undone slightly with whatever works. I usually use an adjustable wrench or vise grips. You don't need to turn it much (1/8th turn or so) before you can turn by hand. Grab that length of flexible hose (I use a bit of old silicon brake duct, about three feet long) and a suitable vessel to capture the fluid. Undo the drain cock. You'll get a gallon or so.

If you've been tidy, replace dog towel. If not, use it to wipe up all the mess and throw it in the garbage. Take your coolant, and place in some suitable vessels to take to your local garage to dispose of the stuff properly.

While you are at it, I'd change your thermostat (top of engine), you'll need a gasket too. Also, remove the coolant hose that goes to the left (UK/IRL Passenger side) cylinder head and clean off the barb into the block. As it is metal, there's often a reaction between the metal and the aluminum of the block. Cut the last inch off the hose (not too much, you don't want to be short) and reconnect, tightening the hose barb. From memory, you can get at this without removing the left fender liner, but to be sure...

Reconnect the heater hose and cinch tight. Tighten drain cock on the block. When you refill with coolant, there is a small knurled knob on the upper right of the radiator you'll want to loosen to bleed air through. It'll run liquid when bled. Just like bleeding those old water based radiators you probably have at home (we used to have them in the UK). Check for leaks. Run motor. Check level. Replace fender liners, wheels, remove jackstands. Clean up and take it out for a nice drive.

BTW, Most of us run 50/50 mix. Use distilled water, not Ireland's finest if you mix from concentrate.

Hope this helps
Philip
Click to expand...

Alanmondial · Mar 20, 2004

Thanks very much Philip, you can't get more fool proof than your excellent set of instructions. I'll let you know how I get on.

db6 · Jan 5, 2010

would the process be the same for a mondial 3.2?

from the parts diagram for the 3.2, it looks like there is a drain bolt on the bottom of the radiator, driver's side. wouldn't it be easier to simply drain from there, and the engine block, rather than detach hoses?

thanks in advance.

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