Mike's Garage: E18 - 1996 Caprice LT1 Thermostat and Coolant Flush

Today I replace the thermostat, and then flush the engine and radiator on my 1996 Chevy Caprice.

[@kirwankars8597]

an OBDII 1996 B body takes Dexcool. Did you convert to green coolant? That is preferable, just wanted to check.

[@MarcoYankn.9000]

Good video man. Very helpful...

[@jtwmd83]

Do you remember what size washer is it that holds the coolant reservoir down?

[@tommytomtomt]

As per my readings in many shop manuals. Your video has major flaws. Not wise to bleed through the screw on the waterpump neck. Coolant will flow down into the optispark damaging the electronics. IT is prone to that.

[@VernonCrumpSr]

Can u give alternative suggestions

[@MikesGarageWorks]

Probably correct, however irrelevant, it gets plenty wet every time it rains..

[@blkpopeye]

To Mike: I own a '96 Chevy caprice police interceptor.. 2 Questions..Don't you have to have special equipment to do a proper radiator and engine flush? Also since that is an LT1 They require you to use 5 year antifreeze called Dexcool..Isnt there a label on the fan cover that says use dexcool?

[@blkpopeye]

A crazy thing happend with a company van it was with a 96 astro..I had never seen dexcool coolant before so I asumed with the dark color it was bad..Took it to the auto repair shop where the fleet. gets its vans serviced and they changed it out with green coolant..shouldn't they have known this was wrong being professionals?

[@Dave-xf1lf]

Blk Popeye you can use either or you just cant mix them both

[@95roadie]

It doesn’t matter, as long as you don’t mix it. Dexcool is absolute garbage anyhow

[@0rl]

You can see on the radiator shroud that it says to use DEX-COOL fluid only. At some point they drained out the orange and put in the green. Vehicles prior to 1996 had regular green antifreeze. GM made the change over to DEX-COOL in 1996 with the B Bodies. Also, the method shown only drains what’s in the radiator, which is about 1 gallon out of a 4 gallon system. You may have to repeat this multiple times to completely replace all the coolant.

[@freddiemack26]

what size socket did you use for the thermostat bolts?

[@Mcdashiznit]

great job

[@gr8livn]

Wish you had serpentine belt replacement video in b4u package i can’t hardly any vids with b4u

[@kirwankars8597]

I have done it on my 1994 Caprice B4U. It's not that hard.

[@kirwankars8597]

it's basically removing the front fan belt, which is easy. Then removing the old main drive belt in the back, which is easy enough if you can get to the tensioner in the back. Then just weave the new belt through and over the pulleys...

[@savinitout14]

i snaped bleeder screw? now i have to tern ac on to cool down my caprice any ideas?

[@mikematerne4579]

savinitout14 run your fans to either the fuse box or toggle switch.

[@lebrun960]

Replace the gooseneck it should come with a new bleeder

[@johnbeer5242]

change the neck

[@kirwankars8597]

what those guys said. Replace the part, don't improvise. It's very easy to replace that neck.

[@freddiemack26]

yes please do

[@miqelcoleman8774]

how many jugs of coolant did u need to fill back up?

[@kirwankars8597]

for a drain and fill, it takes maybe 1.5 to 2 coolant jugs.

[@TheKilbourneSlim]

I see green antifreeze I thought that it took orange

[@CALISUPERSPORT]

it does but lots of guys swap out the orange DEXCOOL because of reports that it can become corrosive if you get air in your coolant system.