How Do I Bleed My Coolant?

[Slipzee]

how do i bleed the coolant?

i've just changed my coolant, when i drive for a few mins, seems to be when i'm in boost, my CEL comes on, so i stop..., open hood, top hose feels like rock hard, i unscrew rad cap, air and water spits out like f**k, put rad cap on and its fine for a few mins, then its repeats ^^, i'm guessing i got air in my system, how do i bleed to properly? its an ej8 btw.

 

[bizoneoeh]

some engines have a purge valve right where the upper radiator hose connects to the head. I don't have one on my z6 so I just drive it for a minute then open the cap up, let it run and top it off with coolant. It might be to late tho, is your car running rough? You can blow your head gasket like that

 

[Slipzee]

i just changed oil, spark plugs, coolant, then took it up the road, it seems to be running fine, but when the cel comes on, it nearly dies, and i have to stop

 

[bizoneoeh]

Try driving it for like 10 minutes or so with the heater full blast so the thermostat opens up. Then park it and let it run if there's not too much pressure then open up the cap and see if it needs anymore fluid. and just top it off if it does need some. Check to see if you have the purge valve tho.

That's the way I do it, if anyone else has a better idea let him know

 

[Slipzee]

i couldn't find a bleed screw anywhere but i'll try that, any other ideas let me know

 

[Deadhead]

Well, this way has always worked for me, and I even found it easier than using the bleeder valve on the thermostat housing on my old car.

When cold, take the radiator cap off and start the car...

let it warm up.

When the thermostat opens, you will see the coolant level go down, so have your coolant ready to dump in there.

For the most part, you will see bubbles and the coolant WILL overflow a bit... don't worry about that.

When you stop seeing bubbles coming, put the radiator cap back on and your set. Always worked for me and I don't see why it wouldn't for you either.

 

[vandynamics]

the 98 doesnt have a bleed mechanism like the 5th gens do. fill up the radiator with coolant. start the car and let it warm up. make sure your heater is on full blast. this will pull the air bubbles out and through the system.

once you feel heat coming out of the air vents, close the cap, top off the resivoire, and let the system build pressure.

(with the heat still on full blast)

then you should be fine. if your temp guage goes up, crank the heater, it should pull it through.

also, make sure your constantly topping of the radiator with fluid, as it gets sucked into the system. (this of course, is before you allow it to build pressure)

 

[Blazed]

u can start with opening the bleeder valve at the bottom of the radiator

 

[bizoneoeh]

u can start with opening the bleeder valve at the bottom of the radiator

he's talking about purging his radiator

 

[Mr.Luder]

yea the radiator drain cock/plug as they like to call it right on the bottom of ur raditor!!!!!!!!!

 

[Slipzee]

ok i just did this, seemed ok, took it for a run, it was fine, hit boost, then again CEL, car dies, undid cap, air and water spat out, turned key over runs fine, wtf?

 

[Blazed]

does it overheat?

 

[bizoneoeh]

ok i just did this, seemed ok, took it for a run, it was fine, hit boost, then again CEL, car dies, undid cap, air and water spat out, turned key over runs fine, wtf?

what kind of tune are you running?

 

[Slipzee]

temp gauge doesn't seem any higher then normal

 

[Slipzee]

edelbrock piggyback

 

[bizoneoeh]

edelbrock piggyback

Ok, what about your map sensor? Maybe it's reading boost and shutting the car off. How long have you been boosting and has this happened before?

 

[Slipzee]

like a day so no first time

 

[bizoneoeh]

like a day so no first time

so you've only been boosting for a day? If that's tru your map is probably seeing boost and shutting off. I had that problem when I first got my s**t installed. I threw in some 1 way check valve from the pet store on the vacume line that goes to my map sensor and it solved that problem. I have pics somewhere

 

[bizoneoeh]

here I found it. I have better pics somewhere on here. if you think that's the problem let me know and I'll find them but the same s**t was happening to me. As soon as I would boost my engine light would come on and my car would shut right off

I almost forgot

You know your s**t is ghetto when you're using check valves off a fish tank on your setup

 

[Slipzee]

i'll try it but would that cause the air in rad problem or is that something else?