Altered a socket to empty coolant out radiator drain plug

[winterset]

I wanted to change the coolant on my '96 Deville. Its been 4 years since the last time i changed it. I took out the airbox, and i couldn't turn the drain (at the bottom on the drivers side radiator). I took a mismatch 1/4 drive bit socket from the bottom of my toolbox, used my dremmel, and made a slit in the front, and placed the bit on the drain, lined up the slit, and unracheted the plastic drain off. I got 2 gallons out. Filled it with 1 gallon of distilled, and 1 gallon of GM approved Dexcool. The prestone dexcool was $17.99 a gallon! Ouch

Then i made another round of turkey basting the power steering fluid out, and filled it with fresh blue ps fluid.

I think all the fluids in the car are less than 6 months old now. I decided not to put the baars stop leak in yet.

It took 2 cooling cycles to let me put in the full 2 gallons into the surge tank. I am good for another 4 years on the coolant and by that time the car will be 23 years old!!

Edited August 23, 2014 by winterset

[rockfangd]

I have a 9/16 socket I modified for the wing type plugs. Works great as long as you are careful. It is always good to change out some power steering fluid

[winterset]

Before i started the swap 2 weeks ago, the old power steering fluid was a brown/black color and smelled burnt. I never had a problem with the steering system. That was the 4th batch to suck out, and now it looks like a light amber color. All i want is another 18 trouble free years!