TVM for excellent instructions. Drained the cooling system on my Dutch 9/2004 Mini Cooper, 4th owner. Could not find the engine drain plug as mentioned by Mike. Besides, if the drain plug is above the starter motor, why then do you have to remove the steering motor fan which is below the starter motor? Picture from engine from below attached, oil drain plug clearly visible, no cooling drain plug however.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/more_inf...70725-6184.jpg

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See attached photo. The drain plug is above the starter, not shown in your photo. If it isn't there, (I haven't worked on Dutch MINIs), you'll have to drain using only the radiator hoses.

- Nick

http://www.pelicanparts.com/more_inf...34590-3108.jpg

I had good success by draining from the radiator hoses and pulling additional fluid by using a shop vac. With the shop wet vac (filter removed) you'll need to open the bleeders to allow suction through the system. I then flushed about two gallons of distilled water through the system, started the car to circulate and then vac'd it out of the system. I don't recommend connecting a garden hose to flush your system as you'll be pumping chlorinated water through your system.

Thanks Nick.

hey , i have an 05 mini automatic and i was wondering exactly how the shop vac method works , would you put the vacuum in the expansion tank and could you extract all the coolant from the block as well because it seems like the thermostat would get in the way of that ?

i was doing a coolant change on the mini and i started to loosen the block drain plug but i stopped because i was worried i wouldn't be able to get the drain plug back in unless i take off the starter , i was wondering if there is a trick to this or if thats what i would have to do , thanks .

I guess no one has taken out the block drain plug before ?