How to properly remove air pockets from coolant system.
10-11-2010, 09:13 PM
#1
How to properly remove air pockets from coolant system. Guys today I installed a sending unit for a electric water temperture gauge. I spilled massive amounts of coolant on my garage floor. I used a drain plug that is used for draining the block of coolant. How do I now fill it up correctly and make sure there is no air in the system? Thanks in advance.
10-12-2010, 03:16 AM
#2
I just did coolant flushes on 3 cars so I'll tell you what I remember.
-Fill the radiator up to the neck. Fill your coolant recovery bottle to the appropriate level.
-Jack the front end up so that the radiator becomes the highest point in the cooling system; this will promote the escape of air.
-Start the car and get it to operating temperature. You'll notice that the hoses start to get hot as the coolant starts to circulate. Now, coolant may start to bubble out o the radiator, as it did on my LT1, so you can do what I did and jam a funnel or something similar into the radiator neck to catch the bubbling coolant.
-The coolant level may have dropped at this point so top off as necessary. You can also try squeezing the hoses rapidly with your hands to help move air through the system faster.
-Once the bubbling, coolant level dropping and other bits of excitement stop or at least slow down considerably you're probably done. As you drive for the next week or so, check your coolant level daily and look for leaks.
I'm sure I missed a 100 different things, so someone who didn't get their knowledge working in a quick-lube-shop like I did will be along shortly to fill in the blanks...
-Fill the radiator up to the neck. Fill your coolant recovery bottle to the appropriate level.
-Jack the front end up so that the radiator becomes the highest point in the cooling system; this will promote the escape of air.
-Start the car and get it to operating temperature. You'll notice that the hoses start to get hot as the coolant starts to circulate. Now, coolant may start to bubble out o the radiator, as it did on my LT1, so you can do what I did and jam a funnel or something similar into the radiator neck to catch the bubbling coolant.
-The coolant level may have dropped at this point so top off as necessary. You can also try squeezing the hoses rapidly with your hands to help move air through the system faster.
-Once the bubbling, coolant level dropping and other bits of excitement stop or at least slow down considerably you're probably done. As you drive for the next week or so, check your coolant level daily and look for leaks.
I'm sure I missed a 100 different things, so someone who didn't get their knowledge working in a quick-lube-shop like I did will be along shortly to fill in the blanks...
10-12-2010, 10:49 AM
#4
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I've never gone through any complicated proceedure. I just refill the system, and keep and eye on the overflow bottle/radiator level for the next few heat-up cycles. The air pockets work their way out quickly in my experiance. I own several cars that I change the coolant on regularly and I've never had a problem over the years.
10-12-2010, 12:57 PM
#7
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that's the same method i've used. ls1's don't have an air bleeder screw so as long as you make the radiator filler neck the highest point and let the car run as you add coolant until it stops bubbling, your going to get most of it out.
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10-12-2010, 01:06 PM
#8
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The coolant lines that go under the intake to the TB then to the radiator is the best place to burp it. Put a bleed fitting right there.. Works everytime...
10-12-2010, 08:50 PM
#10
I came very close to overheating the motor filling the cooling system, cap off the rad and adding anti freeze. By just turning the motor off and letting it sit for a while and cool down it pulled all the coolant down. The shop that swapped motors for me had a devise that plugged into the top of the rad and then pumped up a vacum. A hose was put into the coolant and it pulled it into the motor.
04-08-2012, 02:24 PM
#18
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24610-Sp.../dp/B001A4EAV0
This thing is awesome for burping cooling systems if you wind up doing that kinda work a lot. Probably not necessary for the ls1, I've done mine without any special tool, but we use these at the shop and they're awesome. You basically attach it and it becomes the high point of the system, you fill it up halfway into the funnel, run the system till it's hot, and after all the bubbling settles down, you stuff the plug into the funnel, disengage it from the radiator and you're good to go.
Now that I think of it, I wanna try it out on my 9c1......bet that would make that job a whole bunch easier!
This thing is awesome for burping cooling systems if you wind up doing that kinda work a lot. Probably not necessary for the ls1, I've done mine without any special tool, but we use these at the shop and they're awesome. You basically attach it and it becomes the high point of the system, you fill it up halfway into the funnel, run the system till it's hot, and after all the bubbling settles down, you stuff the plug into the funnel, disengage it from the radiator and you're good to go.
Now that I think of it, I wanna try it out on my 9c1......bet that would make that job a whole bunch easier!
