Heyas,
My head is off at kens and i wanna clean out the crusty coolant in the block before i bolt it all up again (will be a brand new radiator). Is it just a matter of undoing the bolt on the back of the block or would people suggest forcing some water in there or compressed air or something? Ive just bolted it back onto the subframe but could use the hoist to tilt it if need be.
Cheers,
Dave

its tricky because the water pump outlet isn't the lowest part of the block (its about an inch up), so flushing through will not always get the last chunks from the bottom or even the last of the brown goop that resides in the lowest part of the block.

There's a plug at the back of the motor beneath behind the driver side engine steady. This plug is at the lowest point in the block's water jacket. Take the plug out and use a screwdriver to clear the crud which will be sitting in front of the hole until water flows out. Wontinue to clear the hole as you run water through the block till you're happy it's cleaned out.

Nothing will clean the block quite as nicely as a chemical dip, or at the least a good chemical flush, but you can at least get the worst of the smaller chunks out.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

put the head back on before you try to flush it

you can drain it out of the back of the block, but chances are that drain is blocked up anyway

take the radiator out, then after the head is back on, take the thermostat out, put the thermostat housing back on, then clamp a high pressure hose nozzle into the top radiator hose, turn the water on and let it run until the water comes out clean, then clamp it in the bottom hose and flush it back the other way. Repeat until it doesn't wash any more chunks of rust out

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