Sometings up with my cooling system.

[WOT]

EDIT: please just scrool down to post #10/11, new updates

 

Hey guys, Im having a bit of a mind bender on my coolant system. I think I may just not have done the procedure correctly.

 

I installed a new rad 2 weeks ago, just a factory replacement from a local rad shop. Put the new rad in, hooked the lines back up, filled it with coolant, drove, topped it up. Never thought about it again.

 

Now for the heck of it I popped the cap on the weekend and it needed maybe 500ml before it overflowed the rad. And now im noticing some "gurgling" water noises coming the hoses under my dash upon startup and first acceleration. I popped the cap twice today after random driving and both times it wasnt as full as when I closed the cap.

 

I also noticed that after my 20min drive my lower rad hose was still COLD... mind you its really cold here, but I think the thermostat should have openned...

 

So Im quite nervous of overheating this beauty VQ engine. Does anyone have any insight on how to cure this??

 

I just orderred an OEM thermostat and housing and new upper and lower hoses. And also the 2 hoses in the bottom middle of the rad that I think go to the cooler.

 

Any insight on how to do this right the second time around would be much appreciated.

 

I figure a new thermostat and housing and hoses and a full fill with the proper coolant and distilled water is a start!!

 

Thanks! sorry if this is so long I even took alot out lol

Edited December 15, 2010 by WOT

[WOT]

I did some reading in the FSM about 2 coolant drain plugs on the block aswell, didnt know if those were necessary, or should be used. The girgling is kinda pissing me off though.

 

Im going to pick up my girlfriend an hour away tonight so Ill be ssure to check the lower rad hose after that drive.

[adamzan]

Did you burp the cooling system? Like get all the air out of it.

[WOT]

I poured slowly and squeezed the upper and lower hoses Im sure, and when I pop the cap in my driveway and squeeze them there are no bubbles coming out.

 

I also noticed that once when I popped my rad cap, coolant felt like it was going to rush up, car was completely cold, but as I was turning it slowly open I felt pressure coming up and I think some coolant rushed into the overflow...

[skulptr]

sounds like you might have a small leak somewhere, plus your thermostat is shot.

 

if you open the raditor cap, and feel pressure, the pump is running just fine. get that thermostat changed, check all your connections, let it sit and run up to normal temp. release the pressure from the system, start the truck back up with the cap off and let it circulate with the cap off to push what ever air is left. course, thats all optional, depends on your level of bravery with coolant.

[WOT]

Well mother nature screwed me out of my drive and my g/f's flight is delayed til tomorrow but you think my thermostat is fudged?? Because the coolant wants to burst out when the car is off and I want to release the rad cap??

 

What do you mean when you say "release the pressure from the system?? (open the cap?)

 

Im fine working with coolant, but I think I remember the last time I tried to open the rad cap after the car was slightly warm and the car was running @!*% got bad real fast and coolant came a gushin haha

 

I bought a new thermostat and housing and hoses just because Im stupid for not doing it 2 weeks ago when I did everything else and I got a STEAL of a price on everything.

[XSrcing]

Replace your thermostat. When filling the radiator, start the engine and let it run while filling it. It will burp several times and over flow a couple. after it stops burping for a little bit, replace the cap and let the car continue to run. Once it is fully up to temp for a while, shut it off, let it cool off completely, and do it again.

[180sx]

A good way to do it: Make sure your A/C is off and heater is on full blast (this should also be done when you drain the radiator). Find the little plug on the top of your intake manifold (don't remember exactly what it's called). You'll remove the plug while you fill. Once you see coolant come out of it, replace it (this pushes any air out of the block). Continue to fill the radiator until it's full. Run engine until its warm or you see the water start to flow. Wait a minute. Shut engine off. Top off if needed. Replace cap. Drive a block or so. Wait for engine to cool down. Recheck water lever. Top off if needed. Done.

 

 

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Jose

[nunya]

Coolant "burping" tip... Park on an incline (or put the front up on jackstands) making sure the front of the truck is at a higher elevation than the rear, which would make the top of the rad the highest point of the cooling system with 0 doubt. Running the truck win the cap off will 'force' the air from any pockets it's hanging out in to the top-and out the cap

[WOT]

SO I swapped the thermostat just now, I think I found a problem, maybe the problem all together.

 

Im assuming this gasket isnt supposed to be ann crunched and munched under that spring with loose rubber gasket dangling around.

 

 

 

And heres the new pretty beast installed

 

And my naked engine bay with winter engine cover

 

[WOT]

To flush my block and rad, I simply stuck the garden hose into the rad cap hole with low pressure until all green stopped coming out of the lower rad hose. Then I connected the lower rad hose and removed the engine drain plugs, and let clean water flow through those for a while.

 

Then I let the water drain out of those drain holes and I drained my rad via the little drain plug at the botom of it.

 

I then put in 2-3liters of coolant mix, started the car, took the rad cap and air vent on the firewall off, filled with coolant until it came to the top, gave the rad hoses some squeezes, no bubbles came out. Sealed it up

 

The trouble is though, I then went for a drive, maybe 12-15min, my aftermarket temp gauge went up to only 150* at its highest and kept going down to 135ish when driving (its cold as hell I guess) but the car would never produce any heat through the vents?? Like no heat at all

 

I parked the car before I head to work. Im hoping before I leave I will pop the rad cap off and see I need alot of topup or something.

 

Stumped why i have no heat, but Im pretty glad that thermostat is outa there!!!

 

Id appreciate any help

[adamzan]

Did you leave the heat on full when you filled?

[WOT]

No...

 

I put the heat on full for 10 seconds BEFORE drained it lol

 

I didnt know you had to have the heat on while filling...

[skulptr]

yeah have the heat on while heating, because it opens up the valve to the heater core. meaning it could have alot of air in it.

 

course it sounds like you may have a blockage somewhere.

[WOT]

I think I got it, thanks for the tip guys, I started it up and blasted the heat on auto full blast. Popped the cap and a good 500-700m went in.

 

Aparently thats enough to make a good difference int he temps the fan blows because my ride to work was toasty warm.

 

Hope thats all for this thread!!

[WOT]

Im have an air bubble in my system aswell so Im going to try this method

 

Little research, Here it is with a little more detail quoted from a master technician:

 

"You have an air pocket in the heater core. Remove the radiator cap, turn the heat temperature control to the hottest setting but keep the blower fan off. It helps to have the front of the car higher than the rear so park on an incline or jack the front of the car up. Run the motor for at least 15 minutes to reach operating temperature. Rev the motor to 2,500 rpm and watch the radiator coolant for air bubbles. It helps to squeeze the upper radiator hose while revving the motor to get the air out. When you think you have all the air pocket removed let the motor idle and check the heater temperature at idle. You can turn the blower fan on to the medium speed to check for output. If it feels better, shut the motor off and look into the radiator neck to observe the coolant. If the coolant pulsates up and down you still have a bit of air in the system. If the coolant stays level, put the cap back on and you should be OK. I always put more coolant in the reservoir, about 2" higher than the max line. When the car cools down it will still draw more coolant from the reservoir. Check the reservoir level the next day before driving and set the level to the max mark."