Draining coolant in Marea 1.8

I've got the Haynes manual for the Brava. It says you drain the coolant by disconnecting the bottom hose from the radiator. I can't find a bottom hose only two top hoses. I CAN find a drain plug at the bottom of the radiator - would somebody confirm that's correct. Normallly I'd use my common sense and proceed but two things are putting me off:

The manual says something different. There are what look like air conditioning pipes in the vicinity. It's Italian.

I realise that's three things, but what the hell.

TIA

Another Dave

Reply to
Another Dave
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You sure about two top hoses.

Parts info I'm looking at shows one top, one bottom, both on RHS (facing car) LHS from driver's seat.

Reply to
Nick /////

Yup I'm sure. I posted to a web forum as well and got a reply mentioning a drain plug and top pipes (in the plural).

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The plot thickens.

Cheers Another Dave

Reply to
Another Dave

Bum!

Just checked again and there are two raidator versions. Your's must be the second.

Funny though, no signs of a bottom radiator drain valve, just a top one. However these pictures are quite notorious at minor detail changes.

On the basis of what we have now I would go with draining via the lower point you have found.

Nick /////

Reply to
Nick /////

Just curious but does this mean the water goes down one side of the radiator and back up the other half or is there an internal return pipe to the "other" top hose? And if so, why?

Thanks for your trouble

Another Dave

Reply to
Another Dave

Pass.

It is usual to use the radiator cores to encourange natural convection assisted by the pump of course. So hot water in the block rises, is passed to the top of the radiator and as it cools drops to the bottom of the radiator to be fed back to the block. Cores run top to bottom.

With a Top In, Top Out I would guess that the cores run from left to right (or the other way round).

I can't see this detail >> Bum!

Reply to
Nick /////

Done it!

Removal of the the air intake box over the radiator (3 bolts) reveals two top hoses and, wonder of wonders, two bleed plugs - so no need to remove any hoses.

Removed bottom drain plug then the two top ones to drain the system, re-inserted the bottom plug and filled with mixture until fluid came out of right hand (looking from the front) top plug. Inserted that and continued filling until other top plug showed fluid, inserted that plug and then topped up.

Replaced air intake box.

Temerature normal and heater works!

Thanks a lot

Another Dave

Reply to
Another Dave

No problem

That is what this Newsgroup is for.

I could spend hour after hour here helping to play Fiat Doctor so I tend to be a little more selective in the posts I resond to. I too also learn from being here and investigating 'things'.

I've had Fiats, and personally worked on them for over for over 32 years, starting with a Fiat 600D when I was 17 and currently with a Strada Abarth, Fiat Coupe, Stilo Abarth and Barchetta on the fleet.

Every day I learn something new so I too say

"Thanks a lot"

Nick /////

Reply to
Nick /////

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