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Author Topic: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4  (Read 2558 times)

toxcolin

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Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« on: October 05, 2020, 04:01:41 PM »
Total newbie question but I need to change the coolant on a LPWS4 and i need to know where to drain the old stuff out?

Many help with this would be amazing

Many thanks

Colin

cobbadog

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2020, 11:34:07 AM »
I would start by dropping the bottom radiator hose and flush out any old coolant from the block that way. Sometimes there is a blanking off plug that looks like the head of a bolt on the side of the block but you need to be careful undoing this as it might break off and leave you with an issue to fix.
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toxcolin

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2020, 08:40:49 PM »
Thanks for getting back to me that's great. Is the bottom radiator hose attached to the heat exchanger? Sorry if this is a supid question.

cobbadog

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2020, 11:31:16 AM »
It is not a silly question, the only silly question is the one you dont ask and it turns bad.
To answer your question I am not familiar with your model engine so with out a pic I cannnot say.
Is this a marine engine?
May I also suggest that you do a Google search for a workshop manual for your engine. There are free ones out there to be found like I did for my little SR2 engine. This will help you out a lot with servicing and any other specifications you may need. There may even be a manual on this Forum so maybe use the 'search' bar and see what turns up.
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toxcolin

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2020, 03:28:13 PM »
Thanks again for the reply.

The workshop manual unfortunately has no diagrams and nether does the parts manual for the bottom hose. I can see what a bottom hose looks like on ebay for the LPWS4 so im hoping i can scrabble around to find it.

AdeV

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2020, 07:21:44 PM »
Assuming this is a marine engine, and you say you've got a heat exchanger, I assume it's using canal/river/sea water for cooling? If so, you should have 4 hoses on your heat exchanger: Two will go to the engine, and the other two will be inlet & outlet to whatever water your boat is currently in.

It should be fairly straightforward to find which hose(s) go to the engine, but as for draining the system.... I think we'll need some pictures for that.

Here's a couple of pictures of one with a radiator on it (I think it's the same as yours, or similar at least):


(photo credit: https://www.marinepowerservices.co.uk)

Looking at that, you've got a block on the front of the engine with both the inlet & outlet coolant passing through it. One way to drain the system would be to undo the lower fitting, but how accessible that is (and whether you can catch the coolant or not) is a question I can't answer...   Actually, it might be worth giving Marine Power Services a call, see if they can steer you in the right direction?

PS: the "bottom hose" is visible on the 2nd pic, going to the lower LH corner of the radiator. Typically one undoes that hose, and watches the coolant fly everywhere except into the bucket you put underneath it!
« Last Edit: October 07, 2020, 07:23:44 PM by AdeV »
Cheers!
Ade.
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0x Lister JP4 :( - Sold to go in a canal boat.

AdeV

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2020, 07:26:50 PM »
Last one: Look at this picture (same site as above):



The bottom hose connection is visible (in line with the top of the red band on the auxiliary belt); just below & behind that connector is what looks like a big brass nut. I bet that's to drain the system...
Cheers!
Ade.
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1x Lister CS Start-o-Matic (complete, runs)
0x Lister JP4 :( - Sold to go in a canal boat.

cobbadog

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2020, 05:49:52 AM »
Looking at those pics what AdeV has described as being the lower drain plug seems to be right. Very strange that there are welsh plugs that are lower than that drain.
So if you are running this as a marine engine then depending on the set up you may or may not have a radiator. Some set ups obviously run a heat exchanger from the river/ocean that cools tubes inside that holds coolant for the engine. In this case there is not usually a radiator.
The other system I have seen totally relies only on river/ocean water to do the cooling but this is not a desirable system if running in the ocean or a dirty river.
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toxcolin

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2020, 02:43:59 PM »
Thanks guys you guys have been amazing. I will give it a go!

AdeV

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Re: Help locating the coolant drain on a LPWS4
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2020, 03:44:33 PM »
Very strange that there are welsh plugs that are lower than that drain.

Do you mean the core plug that's apparent roughly mid-way between the oil & fuel filters? I don't think that's for water... although I could be wrong.
Cheers!
Ade.
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1x Lister CS Start-o-Matic (complete, runs)
0x Lister JP4 :( - Sold to go in a canal boat.