So I grew tired of adding coolant to my 99 XK8. Change a hose, add a "tablespoon" of coolant every day for what seems like an eternity. Grew tired, found a video on YouTube and I'm shocked at how easy it is, and, that no one on the forum has mentioned this process.
1) Go to the autoparts store and buy a cheap replacement reservoir cap for $12.00 (U.S. my location)
2) Drill a hole through the cap the size of a "larger" funnel (you know where I'm going with this...)
3) Inside the cap there are two brass pressure plates and a spring, drill through those if you can, if not it's ok because of the next step.
4) Put the cap in a vise, put a dowel in the hole and smack it with a hammer. This will break the bottom of the cap off leaving the upper O-ring in the cap (did for me anyway)
5) Put the cap in the reservoir and push down to seal the upper O-ring, put the funnel in the hole you drilled and fill the funnel half way up.
6) Squeeze the hoses to get as much air out of them as possible, fill the funnel half way again.
7) Start the engine and let it run to full operating temperature with the heater setting on high

When the thermostat opens it will suck the coolant out of the funnel. Keep filling it back up until the thermostat cycles two times, each time sucking down the funnel level. Keep going until it wont take any more.
When finished take a wad of paper towels (or shop rags) and put it in the funnel to suck up the excess coolant so it wont spill all over the place when you take the funnel out.
Remove the drilled reservoir cap and put the normal cap back on.

Why a funnel? Because it will keep the engine coolant from going everywhere when you squeeze the hoses and allow you to easily monitor how much coolant you are adding to the system.

Could it possibly be any easier than that?

 

Thanks for Sharing! I love work arounds like these. As I was reading it I thought to myself "Ok, so?" Then I got to the funnel description- Pow - it solves one of my biggest fears: spilled coolant with a puppy dog in the house.

Spilled coolant notwithstanding, it sounds like it turns several cycles of fill, but, fill...into one.

thanks, john

 

I use several 5 gallon containers of premixed coolant (G12 for VW/AUDI and Jaguar Orange)
I made my own reservoir tank adapter and I use a vacuum driven A/C venturi pump to evacuate the system.
Inexpensive devices can be had from Walmart or ebay.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Auto-Cooling-System-Vacuum-Purge-Refill-Kit-for-Car-Truck-Radiator-Engine-Tool/332544173424?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SI M%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D328866d f7c6f4c3bae643e93b33b6615%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2% 26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D122241173679%26itm%3D33254417342 4&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Auto-Cooling-System-Vacuum-Purge-and-Refill-Kit/159402019?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=529&ad id=22222222227050545630&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&w l1=g&wl2=c&wl3=147621928970&wl4=pla-291715473284&wl5=9027412&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl 10=112354406&wl11=online&wl12=159402019&wl13=&veh= sem&gclid=CjwKCAiAl7PgBRBWEiwAzFhmmoFWbtyP3P0sjHbE gfolSPKVZWXhh9OnSCvTxacGH11CuqiIJrPFiBoCdUMQAvD_Bw E

bob

 

Turkey baster for removing excess antifreeze after the job is completed?
Neater and less polluting than rags or paper.