How to Drain a Car Radiator

Have a car that you need to drain the radiator out of? Draining a radiator is a quick and simple task to do on a car or a truck. Follow these steps and you will soon have a drained radiator.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car or Truck
• Pan or bin to catch water

1. You will first want to take your pan or bin and put it under the car's radiator. There will be a plug on the bottom or lower side of the radiator, this is where you will drain the water from.

2. Make sure the pan is in place to catch the water out of the radiator and turn the plug counterclockwise. Some plugs you just have to loosen to drain and some you will have to take all the way out to drain. If your vehicle has just been running then the water may be very hot, let it cool for a while.

3. After you get the plug out let the water drain all the way out and twist the plug back into place. You now have a drained car or truck radiator.

Tips & Warnings

• The water can be hot if your car has just been running!!

[betterbody]

on 2/21/2009 Thanks for the details.

[paint-it]

on 2/14/2009 Good article. It is important to do this regularly.

[2besure]

on 2/13/2009 Thanks for the information. Especially as this should be done twice a year!

[JackLTrades]

on 2/13/2009 Good article. Hot is bad. I run a gallon of clean water through the thing after I drain it.