Antifreeze change in 2004 4010

[RalphVa]

I've located the engine and radiator drains, with the help of the owner's manual, and it's about time to do the first antifreeze change in my compact 4010 bought Nov 2004. Anything special anyone learned about doing this? They don't seem to point out a vent anywhere. Any problems refilling without a vent?

I've bought a gallon of coolant. It's the 50/50 mix. Only takes 2.5 qts according to the manual.

I plan to just drain cold, reflill with distilled water, drain cold again and then put in the antifreeze mixture. Only time I've ever done a flush is the last time (after 22 years) I changed the fluid in the 240D Benz. Not sure it did much, but I'd gone 3 years instead of the usual 2 and could see a little bit of crud in the radiator, whereas, before, it always looked crystal clear. So, this is why I only plan to do the cold flush. Don't relish opening drains with hot fluid.

Just wondering about it not having a vent. My 240D Benz and Toyota Tacoma won't refill good without opening a vent plug in the top of the thermostat. On my VW, I had a "****" of a time both emptying and refilling it, with its thermostat on the bottom of the engine.

Ralph

 

[JDFANATIC]

Ralph,

I assume the 4010 is about the same as my 2210; when I changed my thermostat and hooked up the lines for my cab defroster/heater, I had to drain the system. I just followed the owner's manual instructions (there was nothing about venting) and it all went fine. After a 1/2 hour of use, I checked the level and the overfill had gone down some, so I filled that up to the max level and all has been fine.

Let us know if you find out differently.

 

[RalphVa]

I changed the antifreeze out today.

Use of the vent plug is very necessary, and it has one on the right side of the thermostat housing area, just above the fan pulley. It and the drain plug are identical to the 17 mm plugs in my 240D Benz. NOTHING would come out of the radiator drain until I opened the block drain. Then, they both dribbled. Removing the thermostat housing vent made them both squirt out and drain rapidly.

The plastic reservoir wouldn't drain at all until I blew into its overflow line. This is how I flushed it with distilled water, too. Filled the system with distilled water, drained and refilled with 50/50 mix bought from the dealer. It seems to have taken near all of that container. Wonder if it's only 3 quarts instead of a gallon. Will have to look at it sometime and see what it says. What came out of the engine plus plastic reservoir was very close to the 2.5 qts that the manual says it holds.

Ralph

 

[Dusty]

If you purchased a 50/50 mix, you used the wrong anti freeze in the Benz. The Benz specifically requires the GO5 standard for anti freeze. If you use the wrong stuff, you will pay for it later on down the road when you start to get failures of the items that the anti freeze comes in contact with. Go to the Mercedes Benz forums and do a search for anti freeze and you will learn what I am referring to.

 

[RalphVa]

I use 100% stuff in my Benz but mix it 50/50 with distilled water. It's generally 1 gallon of antifreeze and 1 gallon of water. Been doing this for 23 years. It's only when I let it go for 3 years instead of the usual 2 that I saw some deposits in the radiator. With the Benz dealer antifreeze, it's clear, and you can easily see the radiator core top ends from the cap opening.

It's a 3 year cycle on my Toyota and 5 year on my VW; could probably go 5 on the Toyota. Don't know why Benz antifreeze only lasts 2 years.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

I changed the oil, oil filter and fuel filter the next day. How I wish JD would have put a little twist on that oil filler, to make its inlet a little more horizontal. Ended up with a tiny puddle on the floor even though I used a funnel.

Gotta note not to use a socket to remove the 12 mm bolt holding the fuel filter & bowl against the frame. A socket runs interference with the gear holding the FEL hydraulic attachment points. Be better to use a ratchet box wrench, even a 1/2" will do. Didn't have to use channel locks to get that ring off that holds the fuel glass in place this time. Thumb and finger took it off and put it back on, with new filter.

The antifreeze level was sitting at "full" after warming it up by running the Mac a bit to shred some stuff up before changing the oil. Same result when using the vent plug on the Benz and Toyota to refill. No retopping needed. Just fill until liquid comes from the vent, put plug back into vent and then fill radiator completely full (when there's a plastic container to show fluid level like on the Toyota and JD, not so on the old Benz).

Ralph