flushing my radiator, do I need to disconnect the hoses?

[holden j caufield]

I'm lazy and the hoses are old but working. I don't want to "disturb them cause it might crack them so can I just drain it, close the drain plug, and put a garden hose in the top of the radiator and flush it like that?

 

[KLin]

"If the job is worth doing, it's worth doing right."

 

[amdskip]

If you want to only do it halfway. I would take them off and replace them if they are old.

 

[0roo0roo]

well theres the method where u just let it drain from the radiator petcock or whatever at the bottom...
you won't get all the coolant but you will eventually clean out the system if you do it more often...say every 6 months or a year..

 

[Analog]

The hoses will fail - replace them now, whilst the radiator is empty.