Coolant Burping procedure?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 75
Coolant Burping procedure?
Hi guys,
Today, I changed the thermostat and radiator hoses on my 2014 Stingray Z51. Since I'm POSITIVE that I'm hardly the first guy to do this job, I am wondering if someone has the refill procedure already documented or in a YouTube. I've been searching around on here for the last 20 mins or so and haven't been able to find what I'm looking for. I'm thinking there SHOULD be a bleed screw to bleed the air out of the system - is this correct?
2nd issue - and I feel like an idiot for doing this - I dropped a #2 Craftsman Phillips screwdriver down in the area of the oil tank. I tried to fish it out of there with my magnet on a stick, but it just rolled down in there to where I can't get to it. Arrrggg...I just spent an hour on top of and under the car trying to get to it.
Today, I changed the thermostat and radiator hoses on my 2014 Stingray Z51. Since I'm POSITIVE that I'm hardly the first guy to do this job, I am wondering if someone has the refill procedure already documented or in a YouTube. I've been searching around on here for the last 20 mins or so and haven't been able to find what I'm looking for. I'm thinking there SHOULD be a bleed screw to bleed the air out of the system - is this correct?
2nd issue - and I feel like an idiot for doing this - I dropped a #2 Craftsman Phillips screwdriver down in the area of the oil tank. I tried to fish it out of there with my magnet on a stick, but it just rolled down in there to where I can't get to it. Arrrggg...I just spent an hour on top of and under the car trying to get to it.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,048
Likes: 1,476
From: South Florida
The easiest and adequate way is the take the top off the coolant fill reservoir, start the car, let it come up to full operating temp and add coolant until full. Double check the system after a couple of drives. It is not nearly as difficult to bleed as the LT4 supercharger coolant circuit.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 954
Likes: 376
From: Louisiana
The easiest and adequate way is the take the top off the coolant fill reservoir, start the car, let it come up to full operating temp and add coolant until full. Double check the system after a couple of drives. It is not nearly as difficult to bleed as the LT4 supercharger coolant circuit.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2,151
Likes: 1,029
From: North Texas
Almost all dealership techs use a vacuum system due to the fact that it is quicker and guaranteed not to leave an air pocket behind. Air pockets are bad Juju.
An air pocket traped in the head is known to cause the head to overheat and warping said head and causing the head gasket to fail. See the nice air bubbles in the expansion tank? An expensive mistake that the tech would be responsible for.
An air pocket traped in the head is known to cause the head to overheat and warping said head and causing the head gasket to fail. See the nice air bubbles in the expansion tank? An expensive mistake that the tech would be responsible for.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 75
Well - I think I may have at least found the root cause of the issue. So I took the advice and went and bought a vacuum coolant suction kit. Not quite as fancy as the one in the video, but it does essentially the same thing. Problem is - I couldn't get it to draw a vacuum despite me verifying that the apparatus is working correctly. I've got an air leak somewhere. I took it over to a professional mechanic's workshop last night to let them take a look and see if they could figure out where the leak is coming from. If I had to guess, I'd say it's likely from the new coolant reservoir or one of the heater hoses.
On a side note - I was finally able to get the screwdriver that I dropped down in behind the oil tank. Or rather, I should say, my friend's 13 year old boy was able to get it.
After all my attempts with the magnet stick failed, I took off the splash guard and then removed those three Torx screws that allowed me to peal back the wheel well liner just enough. My arm didn't fit all that well so I had my friend's boy reach back in there and his skinny little arm and hand was able to grab it and pull it out of there. I had hours in trying to retrieve it and all I did was drop it further down in there.
On a side note - I was finally able to get the screwdriver that I dropped down in behind the oil tank. Or rather, I should say, my friend's 13 year old boy was able to get it.
After all my attempts with the magnet stick failed, I took off the splash guard and then removed those three Torx screws that allowed me to peal back the wheel well liner just enough. My arm didn't fit all that well so I had my friend's boy reach back in there and his skinny little arm and hand was able to grab it and pull it out of there. I had hours in trying to retrieve it and all I did was drop it further down in there.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 954
Likes: 376
From: Louisiana
Well - I think I may have at least found the root cause of the issue. So I took the advice and went and bought a vacuum coolant suction kit. Not quite as fancy as the one in the video, but it does essentially the same thing. Problem is - I couldn't get it to draw a vacuum despite me verifying that the apparatus is working correctly. I've got an air leak somewhere. I took it over to a professional mechanic's workshop last night to let them take a look and see if they could figure out where the leak is coming from. If I had to guess, I'd say it's likely from the new coolant reservoir or one of the heater hoses.
On a side note - I was finally able to get the screwdriver that I dropped down in behind the oil tank. Or rather, I should say, my friend's 13 year old boy was able to get it. After all my attempts with the magnet stick failed, I took off the splash guard and then removed those three Torx screws that allowed me to peal back the wheel well liner just enough. My arm didn't fit all that well so I had my friend's boy reach back in there and his skinny little arm and hand was able to grab it and pull it out of there. I had hours in trying to retrieve it and all I did was drop it further down in there.
On a side note - I was finally able to get the screwdriver that I dropped down in behind the oil tank. Or rather, I should say, my friend's 13 year old boy was able to get it.
After all my attempts with the magnet stick failed, I took off the splash guard and then removed those three Torx screws that allowed me to peal back the wheel well liner just enough. My arm didn't fit all that well so I had my friend's boy reach back in there and his skinny little arm and hand was able to grab it and pull it out of there. I had hours in trying to retrieve it and all I did was drop it further down in there.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 75
Here's the little trick that my mechanic knew about but I didn't. There's a pressure relief valve sticking out from the bottom of the surge tank. You have to block that off before you can pressurize the system. Fortunately, they had some plugs that fit it. In addition, we had to replace the whackadoodle heater hose assembly ($130) that sets down underneath everything on the passenger side. Wound up having to take quite a few things loose to replace it. It had been leaking for a while and had quite a bit of dried coolant around the ends. That crazy hose has no less than 5 fittings! Anyway - we replaced that and then pressurized the system. It held pressure perfectly now and we were able to use the Mishimoto kit to draw in the coolant from the jugs. Worked like a charm and the car is now staying cool even on BRUTAL Atlanta hot days.
Thanks for the help guys