i am currently doing my timing belt waterpump replacement on my 97 30v 2.8. and i cannot fin the damn drain plug for the blocks coolant. any help/ pics would be appreciated

 

I'm pretty sure it's a hex at the upper oil pan. I'm also pretty sure I just drained at the radiator and skipped the block drain when I changed my water pump and thermostat.

I didn't know they put 30v engines in 97s?

 

yeah iu meant 12 v my bad... and ive crawled under that damn thing several times and cant see any hex head. I dont know what to do. And yeah i inda have to because i mixed coolants before.... hmmm

 

I couldn't find mine either. Pulling the waterpump and the thermostat gets it anyway. Just makes "more" of a mess.

 

As far as I know, there is no drain plug, you're just supposed to pull a hose off a fitting somewhere low in the system and let it hang. I don't have my Haynes manual handy, but I'm pretty sure I remember reading that and thinking, "WTF?"

Irrellevant side note; I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't a few '97's out there with the 30v engine; it's not uncommon for stuff like that to happen. Once they run out of a discontinued motor at the factory, they just start using the new one, no matter which model year they're technically building.

 

there has to be a drain plug for the block though. otherwise it wouldnt make sense. and im just really worried about getting it all out because i mixed the two coolants. hmm anybody else?

 

There is a drain plug, according to my bentley manual anyway. It's hard to find and even the picture in the manual is too close in to be usefull.

Here's a quote direct from Blauparts Audi coolant page:

"There is a 8mm Allen drain plug on the back side of the subframe cross member offset to the drivers side. It is recessed about 1 inch into the casting of the engine block. You'll probably need a flash light to find it."

http://blauparts.com/audi/audi_fluid...ochangecoolant

Honestly, I didn't bother. I don't see how there's any difference from the location of that plug to draining from the rad. I changed my tb/water pump/all tensioners adnasuem using the jhmotorsport dvd and you just drained the coolant from the valve on the bottom corner of the rad.

 

Alright man thanks alot i appreciate it. and yeah i found the bolt... removed it.... and not much came out.. maybe a couple drips. idk. but i guess the reason is to drain the coolant from the water jackets within the head that the hose cant drain. i filled it all up with g12. now i just hope i got enough of that old green stuff out to where i wont have future problems..

 

you could always do a flush just to make sure