Is there a way to drain the coolant from just the radiator,and not need bleed the cooling system

NO, in draining and refilling new coolant, air gets trapped and then the coolant doesn’t do its job.
Bleeding is the most important part!

 

I'm clueless about 2nd gen coolant changes, but I get the sense that it's a lot tougher than 3rd gen?

 

Yes I have done it that way over the years. just dumping rad does not require air bleeding in any way. Other than filling the rad back up takes a little time.

There’s a dump valve On the drivers side of the rad that if your doing it in your driveway on stands is kinda hard to get to. You have to push the hoses out Of the way.
Open the rad cap open that peacock catch all the coolant in a container and throw it down your
Toilet. When stopped dripping close that valve.
It’s a little more than a gallon and makes a very big impact on the quality of the coolant. Really helps.

I just did it this last weekend. It takes about an hour to put the fluid back in the rad. You fill the rad up and 5 mins later it’s low. Fill it again Some gurlgling and then Later it’s low. Keep filling lol...
All with car OFF.

Have done this 3 times over the last 11 years.

I have already done the full dump years ago never again it’s very hard to get the air out if you dump the engine coolant without turning the CHRS pump on. Even then still may have air.

Week later I checked the rad and the fluid was bright red looked new. So dumping the rad only really helps.

 

I don’t know about differences, both gens should be basically the same, 2 systems on each. Patrick Wong has done many post on the subject.

 

Second gen has a radiator cap, that was eliminated on 3rd gen. Also, I've watched a video of a second gen engine coolant change, and I don't know, maybe there is easier approach, but it seemed involved, requiring many, many top-ups and using jumper to run the pump motor, again and again.

If you watch @NutzAboutBolts 3rd gen coolant video, it seems very straightforward in comparison. They put the car in maintenance mode after, to clear air pockets, and it goes pretty fast. Much like Honda's I've done in past.

I've drained just 2 liters from our (2010's) rad, to avoid spillage when doing an EGR cleaning. I subsequently poured it back into the reservoir (it was low, but not completely empty) with the coolant vent valve open, until I got coolant coming out of it. I also "burped" a few of the hoses as I was refilling. Got it all back in with the reservoir level at most an inch above top line. With a couple of days driving the level returned to normal.

I'll alert @Patrick Wong , hopefully he can comment.

 

Or he can just drain the coolant from the rad then fill it back up like he asked.

 

And no bleeding?

 

Thank You, I will look at it.

 

Did do that, interesting. Hopefully/ or not maybe, we shall move on to “ Prime Maintenance “ eventually.

 

This is the one I recall, that seemed very labourious:

(Listen for his son, likely holding the camera, giving him instruction, about a minute in. )

 

On the 2008, is there also a drain valve on the block?

 

Again, just uneducated opinion, but if you "just" drain the radiator, you're also draining all the hoses connecting to it, and any linked part of the system that can readily flow into the radiator. Not sure of the ramifications.

 

NO BLEEDING....thats the point.

 

No ramifications. As long as you do not open the engine petcock and that drops the fluid below the cylinder head there is no problem.

Done this numerous times. This is not rocket science.

 

I agree there is still coolant in the block, which will contaminate the new coolant in the radiator.
Ed’s reply does satisfy the OPs post. As long as everybody is happy doing it that way. Any type of contaminants and rust can stay at the bottom of the block, hoses, bends.....to be dealt with in the future.
Unless you totally flush the system and save the old coolant you have no idea how dirty the system was.
All to save bleeding the air...........?

 

Lol....jeez I know...

Just drain the rad. Do it again in a few months.This car is really easy on the engine coolant but hard on the inverter coolant.

Disregard the plastic overflow tank. Don’t touch that. You are using the rad cap under the black plastic cover.
Fill the rad up takes about an hour. When full drive it for a while turn on the heat and then next day before your u start the car take rad cap off and check level one last time. If full your good to go.
If little low fill it up.

Really easy. As far as the black plastic rad cover is concerned I never even put the screws back on.
It just lays there the hood traps it. Been like that for years very convient for me as I can check coolant and clean the Evap coil in front of the rad real fast.