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Make sure you watch Redpants' video on it before you start, have some oil dry (kitty litter) available just in case, and dispose of the fluids properly, including the coolant-soaked towel.
If you don't already have one, you'll need a 13mm crow's foot to torque the top rearward stud; there's no way to get a socket on that one. Everything else is just regular metric hand tools (socket wrench, open-end wrenches, torque wrench, etc.).
After replacing it, you'll need to top off the coolant. Be sure to use OAT coolant. I used Peak brand 50/50 pre-diluted pink silicate-free OAT formula from Advance (and I plan to have a full flush and refill done when I have it in for a clutch replacement in a couple weeks). After topping off, start the engine and let it run until it's warm, so that the thermostat opens and cycles fluid through the whole system. When it does it will give you a low-coolant warning, at which point you'll need to top off again.
just to be safe... was this the coolant you were referring to?
Yessir, that's what I used.
If you want to be super safe, you can get the coolant from Aston Martin and be 100% sure that it's right for the car, since the workshop manual warns that the coolant is unique and should not be mixed (see image below, which also shows torque specs). As I said, I plan to have a full flush done in a couple weeks on mine.
Yessir, that's what I used.
If you want to be super safe, you can get the coolant from Aston Martin and be 100% sure that it's right for the car, since the workshop manual warns that the coolant is unique and should not be mixed (see image below, which also shows torque specs). As I said, I plan to have a full flush done in a couple weeks on mine.
Yeah, my concern based on reading everything on here is that the coolant for this car is sensitive. I tried to do a lot of research on here with varying results of what was recommended, but figured since you recently replaced it with what you mentioned and had no issues I should hopefully be ok (if anyone else would like to mention why to not use if feel free to do so). I know before I bought the car the coolant was just replaced by an Aston dealer, so I don't want to do a flush since it really isn't necessary. I'd love to just pick something up like this and have it work with no issues. Another one I saw mentioned on here was the Zerex G-05 50/50 as well, so just curious if anyone has experience with that one. It seems like the Motul which is an OEM replacement is practically sold out everywhere including Redpants.
Yeah, my concern based on reading everything on here is that the coolant for this car is sensitive. I tried to do a lot of research on here with varying results of what was recommended, but figured since you recently replaced it with what you mentioned and had no issues I should hopefully be ok (if anyone else would like to mention why to not use if feel free to do so). I know before I bought the car the coolant was just replaced by an Aston dealer, so I don't want to do a flush since it really isn't necessary. I'd love to just pick something up like this and have it work with no issues. Another one I saw mentioned on here was the Zerex G-05 50/50 as well, so just curious if anyone has experience with that one. It seems like the Motul which is an OEM replacement is practically sold out everywhere including Redpants.
In that case you might want to just get it from Aston. You won't need more than one gallon.
Just wanted to thank everyone for their assistance, especially kalepsis who was super responsive and detailed. This was my first time working on the car, and while I had worked on past vehicles with more difficult things like turbo swaps and such... there's a sense of nervousness when working on a car like an aston. The process was super easy, the only thing that was really scary was the coolant spilling out from the thermostat area and making sure it didn't get anywhere it wasn't supposed to. I tried it your way with a little at a time, but I guess I loosened too much at one point and it all came out lol. Thankfully I had a plastic garbage bag under the area as many described and somehow between that and all the rags, I caught everything in the garbage bag with no spillage. The hardest part was then pulling the bag up from the engine bay with nothing tearing it. I used the havoline dexcool which I was able to confirm with the Aston Martin in Atlanta was what they used when they did the coolant flush last year. Had the car idling a bit and drove around the block and everyhing seems perfect so far. Crow's foot helped as well! No leaks either, so I think we're good to go!
Just wanted to thank everyone for their assistance, especially kalepsis who was super responsive and detailed. This was my first time working on the car, and while I had worked on past vehicles with more difficult things like turbo swaps and such... there's a sense of nervousness when working on a car like an aston. The process was super easy, the only thing that was really scary was the coolant spilling out from the thermostat area and making sure it didn't get anywhere it wasn't supposed to. I tried it your way with a little at a time, but I guess I loosened too much at one point and it all came out lol. Thankfully I had a plastic garbage bag under the area as many described and somehow between that and all the rags, I caught everything in the garbage bag with no spillage. The hardest part was then pulling the bag up from the engine bay with nothing tearing it. I used the havoline dexcool which I was able to confirm with the Aston Martin in Atlanta was what they used when they did the coolant flush last year. Had the car idling a bit and drove around the block and everyhing seems perfect so far. Crow's foot helped as well! No leaks either, so I think we're good to go!
That's great to hear! Glad I could help.
Make sure that you clean up any spilled coolant really well, too... pets will lick it because it tastes sweet, and that's no bueno.
it should be noted (and i didn't see it in any of the responses, although it may have been), that one of the studs holding the housing to the block may have to have 1/4-3/8ths removed in order to get the housing past the valve cover. it took a naked hacksaw blade, 20 minutes of sawing, most of my patience and a few grams of skin from my hand to do it though.
