Radiator drain plug cannaot be found

[beowulf]

L3410 HST (about 13 years old). After changing oil and filter, transmission oil and filters, and front axle oil, I went to tackle a radiator flush. I had the cooling system cleaner and antifreeze formulated for diesel engines all ready to go. I consulted the manual, saw where the drain plug was supposed to be - a picture in the manual shows a butterfly bolt of some sort and shows the supposed location. But there was no drain plug there. I looked high and low, took off parts to check further, under and over, used spotlight, and checked where is shows it should be and anywhere else it might be. I cannot find any drain plug.

So, my dilemma, assuming no one can help me find a drain plug, is how should I proceed to drain and flush the radiator if there is no drain plug. I see that on the right side near where a drain plug should be is a hose connecting to the bottom of the radiator - so - could I unhook that, drain the radiator, and flush etc.

A final note - I don't know if this is why there is no drain plug, but there is a sort of auxiliary (my definition) radiator of sorts in front of the main radiator and I wonder if in plumbing that the drain plug was eliminated or relocated or whatever.

Anyway, any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I am even willing to be embarrassed if you can tell me where the butterfly drain plug is and tell me I should have found it on my own. It has been a long day and perhaps I will crawl under there again tomorrow morning - sure hope there is one.

 

[Clay45]

Try bottom right on the front side. Mine was made of delrin or such. Failing that, remove the lower hose connection.

Regards,

Clay

 

[beowulf]

Thanks Clay - for sure that is where the manual shows it to be. But I spent about an hour trying to find it without success. Precisely where I think the manual shows it to be is a vertical pipe that connects to nothing - there is one on each side. Everywhere else around there I can find nothing. It was at the end of a long day and when refreshed tomorrow I will look again. I like a challenge - assuming it is there somewhere.

If I cannot find it tomorrow I will remove the lower hose and drain, reconnect and refill with water and a cleaner, run it, then disconnect the hose again, flush and so on.

 

[Texasmark]

After an exhausting search, like you I find out that my 2011 Silverado doesn't have one. Instructions obtained from chat sites on the www are to remove the lower radiator hose on the engine end and that is your drain plug............................... My Branson 6530 tractor has a Y connection from the radiator and the engine block sitting on the right side just inside the rt. front tir, hard mounted to the frame with a brass plug. Plenty or room for the catch bucket. Nice.

 

[beowulf]

Fresh start this morning and found the radiator drain plug. . . and, I understand why I could not find it before. The manual shows a vertical plug (facing down) at the very right front. It is actually a horizontal plug facing inward and in the middle. Used a spot light and finally found it.

First drain was bright green, flush with cleaner was a dirty brown, second flush with just water was a slightly dirty brown, next flush clean. Added Fleet Charge - 50/50 with distilled water. So glad I found the drain plug as was ready to start taking the hose off.

 

[Texasmark]

Fresh start this morning and found the radiator drain plug. . . and, I understand why I could not find it before. The manual shows a vertical plug (facing down) at the very right front. It is actually a horizontal plug facing inward and in the middle. Used a spot light and finally found it.

First drain was bright green, flush with cleaner was a dirty brown, second flush with just water was a slightly dirty brown, next flush clean. Added Fleet Charge - 50/50 with distilled water. So glad I found the drain plug as was ready to start taking the hose off.

On the Silverado, it came off easily after 28k miles and 5 years. Wonder how easily it will come off 10-15 years from now.

 

[CADplans]

On the Silverado, it came off easily after 28k miles and 5 years. Wonder how easily it will come off 10-15 years from now.

I have changed the coolant in my 6 liter Silverado 2500 about every 5 years (it is a 1999)
I bought it new,,, the plastic drain easily opened,,, each time,,, zero problems.
The last change was last summer.

I changed the coolant in my IH 584 a couple weeks ago. plastic drain plug, it worked perfectly.
That tractor is about 35 years old.

 

[teg]

...but there is a sort of auxiliary (my definition) radiator of sorts in front of the main radiator...

FYI, (most likely) that's the hydraulic oil cooler.

I pull the radiator hose off the side of the engine when I flush it. Easy access and drains really quick.

 

[Gary Fowler]

On the Silverado, it came off easily after 28k miles and 5 years. Wonder how easily it will come off 10-15 years from now.

My 2007 Silverado also does not have a drain plug. The hose was too difficult for me to reach so I had to take mine to a mechanic shop to flush and refill. How much money did Chevy save deleting that drain? Not as much as it cost me to have it drained for sure.

 

[Texasmark]

My 2007 Silverado also does not have a drain plug. The hose was too difficult for me to reach so I had to take mine to a mechanic shop to flush and refill. How much money did Chevy save deleting that drain? Not as much as it cost me to have it drained for sure.

That's about what I figured!