I was going to change the coolant in my 2012 DBS, while I was under the car changing the engine and differential fluids. I spent a good 45 minutes trying to locate the coolant drain plug, but couldn’t find it’s location. What am I missing? Do I have to drop more than the front two panels, or a brake air duct to gain access? It shouldn’t be this difficult. Looking at the how to DB9 threads the drain plug is pretty much out in the open once the pans are dropped.

 

Sorry, no plug as the only way is lower hose removal and it's not at the bottom if you really look. Drain and refill with a couple of bleed sessions you should be good.

 

Same thing on the 2012 Virage...no sign of the drain that the manual says is there. The lower hose comes off pretty easily, though. If you're careful, you can control the flow but it does take a little longer. That said, you may only be able to get around 2/3 (9-10l) of the old fluid out.

 

Thx for all the info. Any special tool needed to remove the hose. Aston likes to put special clamps on things.

 

Nope. Just a small screwdriver or pliers. There is a captive clip in the solid hose end connector that pulls out a little, freeing the connector. One of the easier AM fittings to deal with, at least in my experience...Of course, the undertray has to come off to get at the hose connection.

 

Lower hose attached to water pump, note wire clip.

Wire clip that secures lower radiator hose to the water pump, when installed it fits into milled slots in the water pump.

 

Ford Motor Corp started using those in about 2000. Much quicker on the assembly line to install. I see them on Fords, Volvos and of course Aston Martin...

 

If anyone is wondering for a Vanquish, I just changed the coolant on my 2014 Vanquish this past weekend. The lower hose, as pictured above, is the way to drain the coolant. There doesn't appear to be a drain plug and the official procedure is to remove the hose. With the car on a lift and using a large funnel to my coolant drain container, I was able to slide the hose back just enough to do a controlled drain without making much of a mess. Refilled with about 3 gallons using an Airlift. Relatively easy process.

 

Being able to do the "controlled drain" is the key to avoiding an "AM shower", not that easy as the fluid wants to rush out all at once, but it's the only way to do it unfortunately.

 

sounds crude. but then again, i've had a few draincocks that necessitated a destructive removal and cutting a hose is less troublesome than buggering the threads on a block or radiator, so...yeah, maybe not so bad.