Honda Car Forum

I have a 2000 EX (4 Cylinder). I went to change my coolant and the
Owners manual description of where to find the drain plug left me very
confused. I tried one screw and it dripped a small amount of engine
oil. When I finally found what I thought might be the coolant drain
plug I was unable to remove it because it was torque on so tight. I
even tried my air-rachet with no luck.

I finally decide to drain as much as possible using the rad drain
plug, Refilled with water - drive the car, allow the engine to cool,
drain and refill with water, driver the car, and finally drain it. I
also found it drained about 3.2 L from the system. My owners manual
states that the capacity is 5.5 L so I believe that that is just about
right for a 60/40 mix. My only concern was that I was not able to fill
it with distilled water. Not sure if that is a big issue?

Any Advise on removing the drain plug for future reference will be
greatly appreciated.

Joe

"Joe" <dajoe13@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:3acf0327.0309291203.559b7d2e@posting.google.c om...
> I have a 2000 EX (4 Cylinder). I went to change my coolant and the
> Owners manual description of where to find the drain plug left me very
> confused. I tried one screw and it dripped a small amount of engine
> oil. When I finally found what I thought might be the coolant drain
> plug I was unable to remove it because it was torque on so tight. I
> even tried my air-rachet with no luck.
>
> I finally decide to drain as much as possible using the rad drain
> plug, Refilled with water - drive the car, allow the engine to cool,
> drain and refill with water, driver the car, and finally drain it. I
> also found it drained about 3.2 L from the system. My owners manual
> states that the capacity is 5.5 L so I believe that that is just about
> right for a 60/40 mix. My only concern was that I was not able to fill
> it with distilled water. Not sure if that is a big issue?
>
> Any Advise on removing the drain plug for future reference will be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Joe

Last year I changed coolant on my '99 Accord EX and did exactly the same
thing. I work across the street from a Honda dealer and stopped by the
service desk to ask where the drain plug is. I was told not to worry about
it as they just empty the radiator also.......
George

The tight bolt could be it. The smaller bolt is usually the oil drain. I'd
attached a chain to the my huge Craftsman wrench and have a hoist pull it.
On the 2.2 L engine it's near the radiator with little clearance. Didn't
bother me much.


>I have a 2000 EX (4 Cylinder). I went to change my coolant and the
>Owners manual description of where to find the drain plug left me very
>confused. I tried one screw and it dripped a small amount of engine
>oil. When I finally found what I thought might be the coolant drain
>plug I was unable to remove it because it was torque on so tight. I
>even tried my air-rachet with no luck.
>
>I finally decide to drain as much as possible using the rad drain
>plug, Refilled with water - drive the car, allow the engine to cool,
>drain and refill with water, driver the car, and finally drain it. I
>also found it drained about 3.2 L from the system. My owners manual
>states that the capacity is 5.5 L so I believe that that is just about
>right for a 60/40 mix. My only concern was that I was not able to fill
>it with distilled water. Not sure if that is a big issue?
>
>Any Advise on removing the drain plug for future reference will be
>greatly appreciated.
>
>Joe

You may drain and refill with mixed coolant every year instead of every
second year . You get 50 % out each year. Simple 10 minute procedure.

On 29 Sep 2003 13:03:18 -0700, dajoe13@yahoo.ca (Joe) wrote:

>I have a 2000 EX (4 Cylinder). I went to change my coolant and the
>Owners manual description of where to find the drain plug left me very
>confused. I tried one screw and it dripped a small amount of engine
>oil. When I finally found what I thought might be the coolant drain
>plug I was unable to remove it because it was torque on so tight. I
>even tried my air-rachet with no luck.

I've no idea how you got an air rachet up in that confined space. I've
never done an Accord yet but for Civics, Integras, with the drain bolt on
the front of the engine, I use a 18" breaker bar. Hold it in place, near
the socket end. with one hand and whack the other end of it with the other
hand and it's always loosened it for me.

>I finally decide to drain as much as possible using the rad drain
>plug, Refilled with water - drive the car, allow the engine to cool,
>drain and refill with water, driver the car, and finally drain it. I
>also found it drained about 3.2 L from the system. My owners manual
>states that the capacity is 5.5 L so I believe that that is just about
>right for a 60/40 mix. My only concern was that I was not able to fill
>it with distilled water. Not sure if that is a big issue?

Which antifreeze did you use? I hope not the Prestone in the yellow jug.
IMO you should have used the premixed Honda Type 2 coolant.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

The drain plug is usually white colored and should be in the
middle near the radiator. I know that when I drained mine in my 99
Accord it was on tight but I didn't need a rachet or any tool to
loosen it up. Granted that on the day I did it the coolant was warm
but still.
As George suggests, I hope that you didn't use Prestone in the
yellow jug as this will cause the water pump to begin to leak
prematurely. You should buy the Honda coolant as it is only a few
dollars more.

Nick




On 29 Sep 2003 13:03:18 -0700, dajoe13@yahoo.ca (Joe) wrote:

>I have a 2000 EX (4 Cylinder). I went to change my coolant and the
>Owners manual description of where to find the drain plug left me very
>confused. I tried one screw and it dripped a small amount of engine
>oil. When I finally found what I thought might be the coolant drain
>plug I was unable to remove it because it was torque on so tight. I
>even tried my air-rachet with no luck.
>
>I finally decide to drain as much as possible using the rad drain
>plug, Refilled with water - drive the car, allow the engine to cool,
>drain and refill with water, driver the car, and finally drain it. I
>also found it drained about 3.2 L from the system. My owners manual
>states that the capacity is 5.5 L so I believe that that is just about
>right for a 60/40 mix. My only concern was that I was not able to fill
>it with distilled water. Not sure if that is a big issue?
>
>Any Advise on removing the drain plug for future reference will be
>greatly appreciated.
>
>Joe


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Nick <npolite@NOSPAMMONKEYS.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6rflnvsb7omkf73pl2rf90f585qcbamt1i@4ax.com...
> The drain plug is usually white colored and should be in the
> middle near the radiator. I know that when I drained mine in my 99
> Accord it was on tight but I didn't need a rachet or any tool to
> loosen it up. Granted that on the day I did it the coolant was warm
> but still.
> As George suggests, I hope that you didn't use Prestone in the
> yellow jug as this will cause the water pump to begin to leak
> prematurely. You should buy the Honda coolant as it is only a few
> dollars more.
>
> Nick


Your engine block drain plug was only finger tight? My Prelude service
manual says 61 lb-ft, so an Accord should be similar.

The original post questioned where the block drain plug was located, not the
radiator drain plug. I too gave up on the block plug and just drained the
radiator and refilled with fresh 50/50 Honda coolant/distilled water.

Nick <npolite@NOSPAMMONKEYS.hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<6rflnvsb7omkf73pl2rf90f585qcbamt1i@4ax.com>. ..
> The drain plug is usually white colored and should be in the
> middle near the radiator. I know that when I drained mine in my 99
> Accord it was on tight but I didn't need a rachet or any tool to
> loosen it up. Granted that on the day I did it the coolant was warm
> but still.
> As George suggests, I hope that you didn't use Prestone in the
> yellow jug as this will cause the water pump to begin to leak
> prematurely. You should buy the Honda coolant as it is only a few
> dollars more.
>
> Nick

Thanks for all the advise. I did use the Prestone coolant. I guess I
should drain it again an refill with the Honda coolant.

Regards,
Joe

On 10/3/03 10:15 AM, in article
3acf0327.0310030715.68df3b1a@posting.google.com, "Joe" <dajoe13@yahoo.ca>
wrote:

> Nick <npolite@NOSPAMMONKEYS.hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:<6rflnvsb7omkf73pl2rf90f585qcbamt1i@4ax.com>. ..
>> The drain plug is usually white colored and should be in the
>> middle near the radiator. I know that when I drained mine in my 99
>> Accord it was on tight but I didn't need a rachet or any tool to
>> loosen it up. Granted that on the day I did it the coolant was warm
>> but still.
>> As George suggests, I hope that you didn't use Prestone in the
>> yellow jug as this will cause the water pump to begin to leak
>> prematurely. You should buy the Honda coolant as it is only a few
>> dollars more.
>>
>> Nick
>
> Thanks for all the advise. I did use the Prestone coolant. I guess I
> should drain it again an refill with the Honda coolant.
>
> Regards,
> Joe
You can use the prestone 50,000 mile stuff, but if you used the yellow jug,
then yes, you should flush it out of there.