Radiator Drain Plug

[gunner93]

Hi all,

While I was doing my oil change yesterday, I removed the plastic under tray to do a coolant change as well. To my horror, the radiator drain plug which is made of plastic has been smoothened. :furious: It was supposed to be for a 4 point screw driver but now its a big hole - no way for me to unscrew it with my limited home tools.

Are there any special tools available to remove this plug?

 

[sillbeers15]

Gunner93,

Just remove the radiator top hose after your engine has been cooled down, start your engine and point your garden hose to the radiator hose outlet to flush your cooling system and fill it up with after all the fluching is completed.

Don bother removing the drain plug.

 

[gunner93]

Thanks Sillbeers. I have thought of that too though its a more splashy option. :wack:

I'll put some thought into it.

I believe the top hose is for return flow back to the radiator right?

 

[kazama]

Gunner, upgrade your radiator, the standard s15 radiator (aka new nissan sentra radiator) was put in because of budget.
Its not very good match for a turbo car. Even the S14's radiator is thicker and can accommodate more water than the s15's.
Don't know why they skimped on this. Furthermore, our Malaysian weather is not helping at all.
MOST of the Jap S15s I've seen in magazines/hyper rev has had their radiators changed.

 

[gunner93]

I'm in allignment with you bro here but unfortunately my wallet's stamina cant keep up with my wish list below ...

1) Disco Potato
2) BOV
3) Metal Gasket
4) Hi cams
5) 740 cc injectors
6) Alu radiators
7) Brakes
8) Vented carbon hood

Sigh... :rotfl:

 

[sillbeers15]

Kazama,

The S14 stock radiator you said is thicker than the S15's is because you've seen the export model radiator (24mm thick as compared to 15mm thick s15 radiator)...but in Japan, they're all 15mm thick ones on S14 and S15. And you cannot get new 24mm ones from japan anymore....the same p/n now comes with 15mm thick only.

I know b/c I bought the last existing 24mm stock S14 radiator for my S15 some 5 years ago....of course I've since then changed to 52mm Koyo alu ones. But the 24mm is still more than sufficient to do the job!

 

[Nicely]

Fitting a full Garage Defend type cooling panel also gives the standard rad the same efficiency as a Koyo Add the two together....

 

[gunner93]

Indeed Nicely... I had intended to replace with Redline Water Wetter if not for the little surprise the previous Jap owner did on the drain plug :rant:

 

[Nicely]

He probably shredded the plug like I did. They are convenient, but made of cheese...

 

[sillbeers15]

Nicely,

The 52mm alu Koyo radiator doe not desipate heat as well as the 24mm stock S14 radiator in start-stop traffic situation.....water temp is usually 5 degree higher.

But when the car is travelling at 200 to 220kph for half to 3 quarter of an hour....the thicker radiator can lower temperature 5 to 10 degree.

 

[Nicely]

Obviously the best setup is having a cooling panel AND a Koyo. Just mentioning that the cooling efficiency can be quite dramatically improved by just adding a cooling panel This is with a constant air flow. In just same way that the biggest FMIC is no more efficient than the WMIC if it doesn't have any air flow...

 

[Amused_15]

The subject matter of cooling is a very subjective one and is open plenty of arguments. Whats important, and often overlooked is the situation under which we drive.

Simply replacing the standard radiator to one of a larger core diameter in actual fact does very little to improve cooling efficiency. The larger the core diameter of the intercooler, the more the air mass and velocity is required to provide the required amount of cooling. Hence On a hot day in start stop traffic, 3 cars with varying radiator core sizes will still indicate the same amount of temperature. The smallest one having the biggest increase in temp which will dissipate easily as soon as the car starts moving. Take the same 3 on a long highway cruise at high speeds and we will find the thicker core radiator will drop the water temp as sillbeers said, 5-10 degrees. A more feasible solution would be the cooling plate as its made mostly of aluminium, even the slightest forward movement will result in cooling action sufficient. Im still on my standard s15 radiator and its up to the job with my coolong plate. stable 80 degrees in traffic where ambient temperatures are near to 40 degrees.

 

[Nicely]

This is one of the reasons I haven't gone for a bigger rad I've also got a twin fan to fit to it with a controller.

 

[sillbeers15]

In my opinion there isn't such a thing as 'the' best radiator.

First, radiator is a supporting device to keep operating temperature of internal combustion engines within range.

Second, it is not good that engines run above and under operating temperature below 600 degree c (above which aluminium melts) and water temperature range of 80 degree c to 98 degree c.

So long as above 2 requirements are met....I consider cooling to be efficient.

We usually need to swap for bigger radiators b/c more heat has been generated as more power (or rather correctly, working energy) is squeezed from tunning, boost up, bigger turbo swap.

Btw, internal combustion engines have a low efficiently output. usually only 27% work done is efficient and the rest are desipated as heat and sound....therefore we need radiators to keep temperatures soring and doing damage.

Morden manufacturing techniques are more efficient at producing aluminium radiators....however, didn't we all learn in primary school that copper is a better heat conductor over aluminium? Certainly gold is a better heat conducting material.....anyone fancy a gold radiator?

 

[kazama]

The subject matter of cooling is a very subjective one and is open plenty of arguments. Whats important, and often overlooked is the situation under which we drive.

Simply replacing the standard radiator to one of a larger core diameter in actual fact does very little to improve cooling efficiency. The larger the core diameter of the intercooler, the more the air mass and velocity is required to provide the required amount of cooling. Hence On a hot day in start stop traffic, 3 cars with varying radiator core sizes will still indicate the same amount of temperature. The smallest one having the biggest increase in temp which will dissipate easily as soon as the car starts moving. Take the same 3 on a long highway cruise at high speeds and we will find the thicker core radiator will drop the water temp as sillbeers said, 5-10 degrees. A more feasible solution would be the cooling plate as its made mostly of aluminium, even the slightest forward movement will result in cooling action sufficient. Im still on my standard s15 radiator and its up to the job with my coolong plate. stable 80 degrees in traffic where ambient temperatures are near to 40 degrees.

Are you sure just a cooling plate would help in cooling for stop and go traffic ?


Also, I noticed that after I changed to a stainless steel manifold and fitted the HKS GT-RS turbo,
the water temp increase, this is said to be because of the manifold. The engine bay gets a bit hotter.
The manifold height is higher than the stock one. And also the material.
SS vs cast. I'm not quite sure, but thats what I've been told.

 

[gunner93]

Sillbeers,

The temp indicated by the Power Commander is that accurate? My running temp ranges between 80C to 89C on the Power Commander but my factory temp gauge needle still shows mid gauge...

 

[kazama]

Colin,

the standard water temp gauge is not that accurate. The middle mark is actually a rough estimation.

For example, the middle mark can be anything from 40-90degrees.
But I do know that if its above the middle mark, around 3 quarters, its close to 100 and above.

Just to let you know, when I start my car in the mornings before heading off,
I'd idle the car for a while and drive very slowly, after a few mins,
the standard temperature gauge will indicate center, whereas my Defi water temp meter will show 30+.

 

[sillbeers15]

Gunner93,

The digital readout from the FC Commander is a direct display of the ECU's reading from the sensors. It should be more accurate.

Kazama,

That's what I've said. When we squeeze more power generated from the motor....more heat and sound gets generated (all forms of energy). So one needs to improve the heat transfer management efficiently.

 

[gunner93]

Thanks guys. The commander certainly helps with providing all the vital engine parameters.

 

[Nicely]

Are you sure just a cooling plate would help in cooling for stop and go traffic ?


Also, I noticed that after I changed to a stainless steel manifold and fitted the HKS GT-RS turbo,
the water temp increase, this is said to be because of the manifold. The engine bay gets a bit hotter.
The manifold height is higher than the stock one. And also the material.
SS vs cast. I'm not quite sure, but thats what I've been told.

Nothing is really going to help in stop start traffic except more cooling fans.

A FULL cooling panel (not those metal template ones) will also help reduce the engine bay temperature whilst in motion (as well as improve air flow through the IC and rad). Fitting an SS mani and bigger turbo is inevitably going to raise engine bay temperatures. All those OEM heat shields bolted to the OEM mani and turbo are there for a reason...