I gave up on the totally awkward XJ petcock long ago, and just drain from the lower hose...

 

+1

Even with my XJ completely stripped back to the rad the drain plug sits above framework and just splashes… last night I was draining my parts jeep rad:



Good thing a used air filter makes a good foot mop

Draining right from the lower hose splashed but it mostly went into the bucket. and you have the added bonus of getting a lot of the block water out, too.

 

Um, what the christ?? Looks like it's behind the headlight there. Lower hose sounds really messy, but I guess it's easier..though I hate to think of the coolant rusting the nearby parts.

 

Even though I can easily see and reach the drain plug from the side because of a pipe bumper and the way my fenders are trimmed I don't use it. Heard they have a tendency to leak after being used.

 

Yeah, totally go for the lower hose— might need to take the airbox out, but that's easy peasy.

 

I found the easiest way to get to the drainplug was behind the headlight but that bottom hose certainly allows more volume to drain

 

I once made the mistake of buying a hose clamp "assortment" from Harbor Freight. First time I tried to use one, the worm gear stripped the slots right off the band before it ever got even remotely tight. The band actually ended up with a hole in it where the gear bit in. It was so stupid it was funny. I'll never buy those again.

The stupid petcock is messier than the lower hose. Since the coolant doesn't drop straight down into a container, it'll splash around and run all over the place. I have never really understood the design choice, and in fact one of the aftermarket radiators I bought several years ago didn't even have one.