In the event I have to drain and fill the cooling system, I just put the front end up on ramps. You have to get at the radiator drain plug anyway and you have to check for leaks when done too. This procedure puts the Rad Cap higher than the thermo housing and burps the entire system.

 

Slo, my skin is fine, i have my opinion you have yours they differ i will live...


Dub,

You hit the nail,
And its sad but many things from even the 80s that seems like yesterday to me were made so much better than the very same brand and product made today,

I saw it a lot in my rc hobby

This thread was about alternative ways to fill corvette cooling systems,
I dont believe ive ever owned a car i felt needed a cooling system flush i guess some neglected cars do need it...

 

Mike,

I am aware of that type of plastic and it is some stout stuff.. But I have also seen this same plastic material used in the side tanks for a factory style aluminum radiator adn they can split.. Obviously it can be attributed to heat cycles adn expansion of that plastic of some degree.

Knowing that you are a guy who will be under his hood can checking things out I am sure you will have no problems for a LONG LONG time...like I am sure many other forum members do also.

By no means am I tying to stir anything up on IF a cooling system and engine needs to be flushed out. I will leave that up to you all and how you choose to do it or not do it al all. For what it is worth...I need to take video the next time I do one so those that may want to see it can see what I seen when the block is drained and what comes out.

But my profession ethics cannot allow me to do it without getting all of the coolant out of the system and that also includes blowing out the heater core also. I drain all of your oil out in an oil change ( except for the oil still in lifters and 'nooks and crannies') and I also maker sure all of your brake fluid is clean when it is coming out of your calipers. For me...doing it any other way would be like gong to the dental hygienist and only having your upper teeth cleaned and paying for a teeth cleaning..

DUB

 

I agree with you about flushing the system. I won't be needing that for a very long time. Everything in the cooling system is new and the engine only has 4000 miles on it from being in my other Vette. An engine like mine will probably need refreshing before the antifreeze does. I know everybody who showed dislike for my idea here is just trying to prevent me and possibly others from problems, but my system is full and sealed ready to go. I'll keep an eye on it and if I have a problem I will report it here and warn others.

Mike

 

Mike,
Not everybody is going to be like you and get under your hood to keep a good close eye on things. That is a fact. Most people close the hood and forget what goes on under it and just drive it.

So what you have chosen to use will work for you quite well because you know what is going on and are not afraid to get your hands dirty. And you also know to not put blind faith in anything you have attached to your engine. Any part can fail at any time...regardless of what it is.

DUB

 

Why not go to the logical conclusion of a higher filler point like real cars do

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/53005/10002/-1?CAWELAID=1710913531&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID =47430200350&CATCI=aud-300525381019:pla-324540185480&CATARGETID=2300061800403433 98&cadevice=m&jegspromo=thirdparty&gclid =Cj0KCQjwvLLZBRDrARIsADU6ojBRy8YDku30pgV F_lglKut1XozwHmncKhC5cqjgbUJHwifAMTiAUqA aAr_fEALw_wcB

 

George, are you saying my car is not a real car? I'm so insulted! I've thought about getting one of those, but just never did it. I spent $5 on this setup and it has worked well for me in the past.

If I really did what I wanted to do, I would run -6 AN lines from each side of the waterpump to the block drains and then get one of these tall fillers with bungs for returns from the back of the manifold. The combination helps even out the temp in the engine from front to rear.

Mike

 

I didn't add in the word race. Real race cars.

yes my motown manifold came threaded for twin water returns from the rear of the block. I have had the higher filler point for many years I use a super high pressure cap on the radiator and a25 psi on the morroso filler. I have considered just welding the radiator and eliminate the uneeded cap

 

I agree with you Mike.

Although I knew I have severely pissed people off here on the forum. I can say without a doubt that watching your other thread and what you are doing.....in my opinion...for whatever that is worth...your car is a REAL CAR and beyond!

As for plumbing the cooling system like you had mentioned I also know this and have seen this on very very few cars and know that it is futile to mention it due to so many people will not do it because the factory set up is fine and has been that way for 50+ years.. Sometimes the backlash when offering upgrades in a design that has worked for decades is not received very well and it seems to **** off people who just are content with how the engine was made....which is fine if that is what they believe in.

There are people who are good with how the car was made and then there are those to take it to the next level..

DUB

 

Thanks Dub! I knew George didn't mean my car wasn't a real car. I was joking with him. Yes, many people believe GM designed the Corvette properly and it needs no improvement, but then there are those of us that hang out in this forum. I understand that bean counters and the styling depart have as much pull in a cars design as the engineers, so there are always compromises. It leaves lots of room for improvements for us to make. The only reason I didn't do the upgrade on the cooling system is my intake manifold has ribs across the rear coolant port area and I would have had to machine holes through them, insert bungs and weld them in. Then I would have had to machine the gasket surfaces straight again. I already had so much work to do, I said heck with it. Maybe later on I will.

Mike

Mike

 

I went this route with mine. Added a filler at the high point of the hose. I had to custom make my hose anyway because of the serpentine system.

 

I have one of those Prestone gadgets on my 1988 Corvette and it has been there reliably since the mid 1990's. The fitting I have is pretty strong and I have no fear about issues with it. I have never worried about this it leaking as it has never happened to anyone I have known. I suppose you could keep a straight hose connector handy in case it ever broke. The best part of having one is that it reminds you to replace the anti-freeze as it is much easier using that tool. Anti-Freeze was changed every five years, Brake fluid every five years, Radiator Cap every five years. There are lots of things needed to maintain on these older Corvettes but if they are done regularly they will reward you with miles of smiles!

 

The small volume of air above the cap is inconsequential. It will "burp" out through the overflow, and if you have a recovery reservoir on it, that air will be replaced with coolant on the first few drives.

The physics of the problem are in the engine block itself. If there's no way for the air to leave the block (solid flange on the thermostat, no "bleed" point opened), then the air can't get out the top of the block. Once you fill the lower hose, it acts like the trap under your kitchen sink. The air in the engine block can't get out through the lower hose because the coolant is blocking that opening. No coolant will get into the block because the air is trapped and blocking the space. If you fill it that way (even on something like a full sized truck where the cap is at the highest point), you'll only get the radiator filled. On an 11-12 quart system, you might only get 4 to 5 quarts into the thing. On most vehicles, you won't even get enough coolant in to get the level up to the water pump. If you start it, the water pump will be running dry, and there will only be air in the engine block, no coolant in the water jacket at all.

There are two ways to work around that and get the block filled. You can use a thermostat with a "bleed hole" (with or without a "jiggle valve"). If you have a thermostat with a solid flange, a 1/8" drill bit can be used to add a "bleed hole." Alternatively, you can open a port on the coolant crossover at the front of the manifold (highest point on the engine) to let the air out of the engine block. That can be a plugged port like on your Edelbrock manifold, In the stock configuration, if there's not a port (temperature sensors are common on or near that area), you can remove the heater supply hose and fill, or worst case, fill the radiator and block before you install the thermostat. Once you have coolant at the thermostat port, install the thermostat and housing, connect the upper hose and top it up from there if it will take any more coolant (it might not).

Since your "Tee" fitting is in the heater hose, on the block side of the thermostat, You are filling the block from that point and avoiding the issue with a block filled with air.

My advice about pulling a plug, sensor or the heater hose is for those trying to fill a "stock" system without the added tee connector. In that situation, you must provide a way for air to get out, or no coolant will get into the engine block.

 

Where do you fill it from with vacuum adaptor? From radiator or from overfill tank?
Thanks

 

Vacuum and fill from the radiator, the overflow tank is not designed for vacuum and will collapse and be ruined if you vacuum it.

 

What's a vacuum filler?