Drain Plug Of The Radiator - Taurus Car Club of America : Ford Taurus Forum

rcalma · 02-11-2009, 10:10 PM

I want to change the fluid/coolant of the radiator of my bull. My problem is I cannot locate the plug. Need help.
If you have picture of it (much better)

Thanks

mwt · 02-11-2009, 10:39 PM

Drivers side
It is a plastic petcock

Mike

94clit · 02-11-2009, 11:59 PM

U probly hafta remove the lower splash guard, or get it from the top if reachable.

ford_ses · 02-12-2009, 01:12 AM

You can't get to it from above - you'll have to remove the plastic shield under the bumper. The petcock is on the driver's side.

The lowest point in the cooling system is the hose junction on the passenger's side (also above the plastic shield), and it might be easier for you to just drain the coolant from there.

plato · 02-12-2009, 08:07 AM

I read several times that that petcock can be stuck and if you force it open you can crack it, which would lead to a costly repair. Use the hose junction on the pass side right above the splash shield.

fonicsmonkey · 02-12-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

I read several times that that petcock can be stuck and if you force it open you can crack it, which would lead to a costly repair. Use the hose junction on the pass side right above the splash shield.
[/b]

I second draining from the lower hose "T" on the passenger side....I broke my drain plug putting it back on...It came off just fine...but torquing plastic is aloooot different than torquing metal. The only thing that saved me was that the thing has a hollow screw body... the 'head' of the petcock twisted off...leaving only the stem...but an allen wrench was still able to fit into the stem and I was still able to screw it back in.

jimabbett · 03-16-2009, 05:34 PM

What fastens the T hose on? Hose clamp or ????

Can you just take the right side of the plastic shield loose and and reach in to do it?

fonicsmonkey · 03-16-2009, 06:27 PM

QUOTE (JimAbbett @ Mar 16 2009, 06:34 PM)

Quote:

What fastens the T hose on? Hose clamp or ????

Can you just take the right side of the plastic shield loose and and reach in to do it?[/b]

Its one of the 'squeezable' factory hose clamps...you can see the connection in a pic that SHOZ123 posted in this link: http://taurusclub.com/forum/index.php?show...mp;#entry702105

.....and the plastic shield is fastened by over ten screws...so loosing up one side is kinda hard...and it only takes a minute to take the entire thing off...which gives you more room to work.

mwt · 03-16-2009, 07:22 PM

The plastic petcock has an oring fit. If you overtighten anything it will break.

If you do break it off you can just pull it out and shove a new one in there.

Mike

rwmm415 · 06-26-2009, 07:37 PM

QUOTE (mwt @ Mar 16 2009, 08:22 PM)

Quote:

If you do break it off you can just pull it out and shove a new one in there.[/b]

The question on my mind is how you (or if you can) replace a broken draincock. It seemed to me that the draincock (the plug) is integral to the radiator. I could only back it out about three turns before it came to a stop. Now with the head snapped off, I can only turn it with an allen wrench and I can't get much purchase on it.

I went to the dealer parts counter and asked. They said that the plug is a separate part and they sold me one for about $6.

However, they had no advice on how to get the broken plug shaft out. Anyone know the answer to this one?

-- RobertM

02-11-2009, 10:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
mwt Crazy Devoted Member Member Number: 1952 Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Tulsa,OK Visit: My Garage Posts: 6,868 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 16	Drivers side It is a plastic petcock Mike __________________ "If you're a fan of getting into fat girls' pants, Dave Matthews Band CDs are the greatest invention since a ham on a fishing pole. If I had known there was going to be a test I would have studied 94gl Vulcan totalled 4-01-04 99 LX FFV-purchased 4-17-04 totalled 5-17-06 untotalled on 9-2-07 and back on the road New Paint coming soon 2000 SES Duratec Garage 2000 SEL Duratec this thing has everything but a spoiler

02-11-2009, 11:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
94clit Senior Member Member Number: 3992 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: savage, mn Visit: My Garage Posts: 955 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	U probly hafta remove the lower splash guard, or get it from the top if reachable. __________________ i would like to personally thank volvo! garage

02-12-2009, 01:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
ford_ses Crazy Devoted Member Member Number: 5162 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Chapter: Northeast Drives: 2001 SES Vulcan Visit: My Garage Posts: 6,728 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	You can't get to it from above - you'll have to remove the plastic shield under the bumper. The petcock is on the driver's side. The lowest point in the cooling system is the hose junction on the passenger's side (also above the plastic shield), and it might be easier for you to just drain the coolant from there. __________________ Jim S. - Pittsburgh, PA 2001 Ford Taurus SES - Vulcan/AX4S, 160k and counting 1993 Ford Taurus GL - Essex/AXOD [GONE - 147k] 2002 Ford Escort ZX2 - Zetec/F-4EAT [GONE - 73k] 2010 Ford Fusion Sport - Cyclone/TF-80 2001 Toyota Camry LE V6 - 1MZFE/A541E and EXTRA BEIGE 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT - 2.8 V6/Getrag 282 5-speed

03-16-2009, 07:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
mwt Crazy Devoted Member Member Number: 1952 Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Tulsa,OK Visit: My Garage Posts: 6,868 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 16	The plastic petcock has an oring fit. If you overtighten anything it will break. If you do break it off you can just pull it out and shove a new one in there. Mike __________________ "If you're a fan of getting into fat girls' pants, Dave Matthews Band CDs are the greatest invention since a ham on a fishing pole. If I had known there was going to be a test I would have studied 94gl Vulcan totalled 4-01-04 99 LX FFV-purchased 4-17-04 totalled 5-17-06 untotalled on 9-2-07 and back on the road New Paint coming soon 2000 SES Duratec Garage 2000 SEL Duratec this thing has everything but a spoiler

02-11-2009, 10:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
rcalma Member Member Number: 17318 Join Date: Nov 2008 Visit: My Garage Posts: 111 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	I want to change the fluid/coolant of the radiator of my bull. My problem is I cannot locate the plug. Need help. If you have picture of it (much better) Thanks

02-12-2009, 08:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
plato Junior Member Member Number: 13090 Join Date: Aug 2007 Visit: My Garage Posts: 82 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	I read several times that that petcock can be stuck and if you force it open you can crack it, which would lead to a costly repair. Use the hose junction on the pass side right above the splash shield.

03-16-2009, 05:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
jimabbett Junior Member Member Number: 16554 Join Date: Aug 2008 Visit: My Garage Posts: 58 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	What fastens the T hose on? Hose clamp or ???? Can you just take the right side of the plastic shield loose and and reach in to do it?

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