Well, I opened the drain plug, (had to unscrew it several turns before the coolant started to drain out) got all the fluid out, now I can't get the drain plug to close. It doesn't appear to be a threaded-type plug. More of a 1/4 turn type valve, but doesn't seem to be working that way. Anybody familiar with this? Did I break something by turning it too far? Does the radiator have to be removed to repair? Any help greatly appreciated.

 

It may be slug in the valve , try flushing with hose from rad cap , back flush into drain valve , also air pressure at drain valve .

 

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Is this a 1/4 turn valve?

 

It's a " push in " and then turn valve.

 

Problem is likely the 10¢ o-ring that goes on the valve.

 

Let's hope so. It took two hours to get the radiator out of the truck and put it in the trunk of my car. Will take it to a repair shop tomorrow. The original goal was to replace the serp belt, tensioner, thermostat and coolant. Had the whole job done in a couple hours and was ready to refill and check for leaks by lunchtime. Best laid plans, etc., etc., etc. Glad to have a spare car for times like these.

 

The dealer sells a replacement draincock, which I have ordered and will receive in a week. In the meantime, I need to figure out how to get the old one out. When it's not broken, it's supposed to simply unscrew, but since I turned it multiple turns, it's broken inside. If anybody has any experience with this problem, please share your knowledge. For the rest of us, be very careful when opening the drain valve, as it can be a nightmare if you make a mistake.

 

On my 04 the radiator stopcock unscrews and pulls out part way. the end of it has a barb shape that prevents it from falling out all the way. You may be able to get yours to go back on by pushing it in and turning it clockwise. The threads don't do the sealing, they just put pressure on the O ring that does the sealing. If you really do need to remove it, you can pull out with moderate force and it will come out. When the new one arrives, one look at it will make it obvious how it works and what you need to do.

 

I went at it this morning with a pair of pliars and broke off the wing head of the draincock. This allows you to fish inside the hole and pull out the rest of it. It's not a 1/4 turn. It's supposed to work exactly the way I tried it in the first place. When you unscrew it a few turns, it releases the seal and the coolant empties out. Got a new one at Napa for $4, lubed it up with vaseline, and popped it right in. Works perfect. Whoever tightened it last (factory?) must have tightened it so tight that the tangs on the corners broke before the screw came loose. All in all, a lot of work for very little gain. But the lesson is that, for $4, it doesn't hurt to have a spare handy any time you plan to drain the coolant. Just in case. For anyone interested, the Napa part # is 605-1278, and the card it's on says it's for Fords and GM's.