The service manual says the cooling capacity is 19 quarts, +1 for the heating system = 20quarts.  4 quarts per gallon means about 5 gallons of coolant in the entire system right?

So when I drain the system using the petcock at the bottom of the radiator, it only gets about 1.5 gallons out?  Are there really 3.5 gallons still in the engine?  Or am I missing something? 

If most of it is stuck in the block, how do I get it all out to replace with fresh coolant?

I need to know becuase I want to be sure I have my antifreeze mixture right before the first freezing temps get here  (which will be soon!).

Nate - Madison, Wisconsin

 

56 Ford Customline Sedan

 

There should a drain petcock or plug on each side of the block.  When you open both those up, the remainder of the coolant will come out.

Regards,

Dennis

Dennis is steering you correctly.



Most likely you are draining the radiator by opening the petcock at the bottom of the radiator rather than disconnecting the lower radiator hose.



On each side of the engine block, in front of each motor mount, below a 'soft plug', is located a petcock as well. Opening these two petcocks will drain the coolant in the intake manifold, each cylinder heads, and the engine block.



IF you desire, you can get still more coolant out of the system by disconnecting the heater hose where it connects at the top of the intake manifold and at the water pump. Move the two disconnected heater hoses to the passenger side of the engine and then lower them toward the oil pan so that they are lower than heater connection on the firewall. This will permit the draining of the hoses and the heater core.



Hope this helps!



Regards,

NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

why not flush the cooling system with the engine running and the petcock open  and a garden hose filling the radiator . when everything runs clear , shut it all down and drain the radiator and pull the lower hose . you will easily drain 2 to 2 1/2 gallons . then refill with straight glycol until you reach a -40 mixture (about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons ) . then pre mix and top off .

Thanks Guys!

56 - that was my original plan.  I had flushed the system clear so it was full of clean water.  But when I drained using only the radiator petcock, I only drained about 1.5 gallons.  When I realized I wasn't going to get anymore, I filled the radiator with pure coolant...but this only gave me a 1.5:3.5 ratio of coolant to water which doesn't seem good.

Hopefully draining the block and radiator will get it all out. Hope I can open those petcocks up.

Nate - Madison, Wisconsin

 

56 Ford Customline Sedan

 

Nate,

If you have problems getting the petcocks open, just use an open end wrench to screw the whole petcock assembly from the block.  I think it takes a half inch or nine sixteenths wrench.

buddy