00 Disco II cooling system flush question + drive belt

[phantomracer]

Been having fun servicing my Disco II lately..

On to the cooling system...Would like to change the coolant. I figure I have 2 choices...follow the procedure in the manual. Doesn't look too bad..other than proably making a mess with the coolant...

Or ...use the transfusion machine I have access to (I am in an auto mechanics class). I have used the machine before on my chevy truck and it works awesome! Just curious if this would be a good method to use instead of the drain/flush/fill method...

Second issue is the drive belt is pretty worn out..needs to be replaced...The service manual says the fan has to come off..I have read it can be done with the fan in place...How hard is it to do with the fan in place...didn't want to deal with taking it off unless it absolutely needed to be done...or is it worth the time to take it off..

Should I replace the hoses/clamps/t-stat at this time (5 yrs old/92K mi)?

More service quesitons later..just tackling it one thing at a time..thanks for all your help

Paul

 

[kennith]

Hoses and clamps are items that should be replaced at the first sign of wear, bulging, or corrosion. They are a preventative maintanance item, so anything that does not look normal should be replaced as soon as possible. Dry rotting on the short end after a clamp, corrosion buildup around sealing areas, cracks, balooning under pressure, or simply too many miles are problems that can cause failure at the worst possible time.

As for the drive belt, just do it properly. You may notice other issues while you disassemble the neccessary parts.

You are doing good by changing the coolant mixture. Old coolant is the biggest cause of head gasket failure in the Buick 215/Rover V8. It should be changed and the system flushed at least every two years, taking care to notice any signs of contamination in the drained fluid.

As for the machine, I have never used one on either of my DIIs, so I can't offer any help there. I just drain and flush as described. I have paid to have the system flushed before, when I didn't have the time, and it is possible they used such a machine, but I have forgotten wheather or not they did.

Cheers,

Kennith