Filling the cooling system issue...is this normal????
09-19-2006, 08:04 AM
#1
Filling the cooling system issue...is this normal???? Hey all. I have a fairly simple question. Atleast I hope it is. My swap is steadily nearing completion. I was filling with coolant last night and ran into alittle issue. I started by filling from the upper hose. Which ive read to do. Makes sense. So I start pouring it in. I put a full gallon of coolant/water in there. And I started to think...where the heck is it going? So as I was mixing up the next gallon, I heard leaking. SO I look and my drain plug is leaking. Thats a different issue though. I think the oring on the back of the plug is trash. Actually I know it is trash because I took it out.
MY QUESTION: Is the coolant supposed to make its way into the radiator from the top hose??? Can it flow past the thermostat like that? I would have throught that once the water pump and block go filled, the coolant would just back up in the upper hose. Then ide have to fill the rest through the radiator and into the coolant resevoir. Is this a normal thing? Or is something screwy with my thermostat perhaps... Let me know what you all think. Im going to get a new drain plug today...I mangled mine getting it out. THanks for any feedback on this!
Justin
MY QUESTION: Is the coolant supposed to make its way into the radiator from the top hose??? Can it flow past the thermostat like that? I would have throught that once the water pump and block go filled, the coolant would just back up in the upper hose. Then ide have to fill the rest through the radiator and into the coolant resevoir. Is this a normal thing? Or is something screwy with my thermostat perhaps... Let me know what you all think. Im going to get a new drain plug today...I mangled mine getting it out. THanks for any feedback on this!
Justin
09-19-2006, 09:41 AM
#2
I should mention that the car has a 160* thermostat in it from the previous owner. Not sure if its one of those stats that always allows SOME coolant to pass...then opens all the way at temperature. Not even sure if one of those exists. I really dont feel like tearing into the thermostat housing at this point. but if thats what needs to be done then so be it.
J.
J.
09-19-2006, 11:18 AM
#4
Ok cool. I just figured with a full gallon of coolant dumped into the upper hose that it would have filled up behind the stat faster...and would have taken awhile to come out into the radiator. After the full gallon it seemed like it could have taken even more. Never backed back up into the hose. I guess maybe I can see a gallon though. After it fills the water pump, and goes into the heads and all... Oh well. Im picking up a new drain plug today, and Im going to try it again. Any more input keep it coming. Thanks!
Justin
Justin
09-19-2006, 01:02 PM
#6
I do only need the o-ring...technically. But I was using a pair of pliers to try to get the drain plug off, and i tore it up pretty good. Not sure why it was so stuck..I only tightened it by hand. My thought is that the o-ring was ripped and it kind of lodged in there some funky way.
Anyway...I picked up a new one at Autozone for $2.38. They have them in stock in the radiator accessory section.
Im going to give it another go.
OH...and something that I didnt think about before. When it took a gallon, I completely forgot about the heater hoses and all. So I can see where a gallon went.
Justin
Anyway...I picked up a new one at Autozone for $2.38. They have them in stock in the radiator accessory section.
Im going to give it another go.
OH...and something that I didnt think about before. When it took a gallon, I completely forgot about the heater hoses and all. So I can see where a gallon went.
Justin