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Engine Coolant Circulation

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Old Aug 4, 2023 | 05:58 PM
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Default Engine Coolant Circulation

Hello everyone. I recently had to change out my ABS/EBCM in my 2009 Z06 and needed to move some coolant hoses out of the way for easy access. I got everything put back and refilled the coolant reservoir. When I started the car, it immediately started to cycle the coolant and pulling from the reservoir but at one point it appeared to have stopped. I see small little bubbles in the reservoir, the radiator fans turn on, I have squeezed/massage the coolant hoses, I have taken off the line from the driver side head and have blown into the reservoir, I have turned the heat all the way up on full blast, I have driven it around. Am i missing anything? Lol. The reason I’m asking is because my car gets hot really fast (around 7 minutes or less, it will get up to 190) and will continue to climb. This is not normal for my setup. I’ve been running this set up (Dewitt’s radiator/single fan/OEM Thermostat) for 2 years and have never had heat problems even after doing hard pulls. My guess is there is still air trapped in there? Any tips or tricks? Thank you!
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Old Aug 4, 2023 | 06:13 PM
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Vacuum fill is the way to go and these kits are CHEAP !!…if not this is the static fill procedure for a 2010.










Last edited by C5 Diag; Aug 4, 2023 at 06:19 PM.
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Old Aug 4, 2023 | 06:52 PM
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I’ll try to get a vaccum tool because I feel like those procedures listed I basically performed. I didn’t rev the car 2,000-2,500 but I drove it to and from the shop and that didn’t work. Thank you.
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Old Aug 4, 2023 | 06:59 PM
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Many how to videos on this !!


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Old Aug 4, 2023 | 07:18 PM
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Thank you C5. Do you personally use any specific vacuum pump? Idk if it matter but I have a Dewitt’s radiator so I don’t have a radiator cap.
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Old Aug 4, 2023 | 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Kalebspec
Thank you C5. Do you personally use any specific vacuum pump? Idk if it matter but I have a Dewitt’s radiator so I don’t have a radiator cap.
I have this model from Amazon…less than $100.00…attaches to the surge tank cap.







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Old Aug 4, 2023 | 08:50 PM
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Thanks man. Just put an order in. I appreciate your insight. I filled it the static way before when I first built the car but I guess I got lucky. Lol not so lucky this time
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Old Aug 5, 2023 | 08:00 AM
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I just use a Plews suction gun (its like a big syringe) on the lower overflow tank cooler hose (its like 5/16 ID line) and just suck the fluid that way. It takes about 6-8 pulls (after initial fill) but it gets me to 98% there and I just top off as time goes on.
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Old Aug 5, 2023 | 08:28 AM
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I have found that if you remove the top hose going to the coolant reservoir, elevate it as much as you can, put an appropriately sized funnel into the hose, and then use that to fill the system, it will almost completely fill it and have almost no trapped air.

Just keep filling until the level stops going down, remove the funnel from the hose, the put the hose back on the reservoir quickly to prevent the coolant from coming back out.

Start the car and the top off the reservoir is necessary.

This works because it fills coolant to both sides of the thermostat and allows trapped air to be pushed out.
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Old Aug 7, 2023 | 09:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Spaceme1117
I have found that if you remove the top hose going to the coolant reservoir, elevate it as much as you can, put an appropriately sized funnel into the hose, and then use that to fill the system, it will almost completely fill it and have almost no trapped air.

Just keep filling until the level stops going down, remove the funnel from the hose, the put the hose back on the reservoir quickly to prevent the coolant from coming back out.

Start the car and the top off the reservoir is necessary.

This works because it fills coolant to both sides of the thermostat and allows trapped air to be pushed out.
I do the same thing,but I pull the top radiator hose and pour it in and never have a issue

Last edited by Last 1; Aug 7, 2023 at 09:28 AM.
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