Im getting ready to flush my coolamt system and i want to make sure i do it right. Im going to be following the instructions listed here http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/c...tem_flush.html However the keep talking about the radiator cap... does it mean the cap above the waterpump? and if there is indeed a cap on the radiator itself is it a pain in the *** to get to?

 

No cap on the radiator. There are only caps on the the thermostat housing and the air separation tank (if you still have one).

 

So which one is the "radiator cap"?

 

There isn't one. If you mean the radiator FILL cap, that's the one on top of the thermostat housing.

 

And when you drain, first drain by the radiator, then drain by the engine block. The block drain is a 12(?)mm bolt on the driver's side of the intermediate housing, directly under the sparkplugs and above the oilpan. You can reach it pretty easily with the driver/front wheel off and the front lifted. Position your catch bucket so that when it shoots out it will get it all (I mistakenly thought it would just flow slowly -> mess).

Fill up with the throttle body coolant hose disconnect, and pouring very slowly into the water pump housing.

Dave

 

The first time I went through this, I ran into the same thing on the same site.

I'll be more specific.
On the posted site link:
"2. Open the radiator cap "

What's next? 3. Remove sparkplug from #6 cylinder?

On a side note:
In the '95 FSM page C-5, "Warning: Removing the radiator cap or the coolant filler cap while engine is running..." So I suppose by Mazda's terminology, we assume the "radiator cap" is not the "coolant filler cap"?

 

So is there a definative answer yet? Ill probably be doing this soon and would like to know

 

It is the same cap. I agree - when I first went to do my coolant flush, I went to fill it and wondered about that confusing terminology myself. Then I looked and noticed the water pump housing filled up and immediately overflowed into the radiator and didn't worry about it.

Dave