atljar

So I fought and fought traditional methods trying to get mine bled. I had more coolant than Mike, but not much. I attempted to use a hose and a hand pump, fail. I attempted to just top it off every drive. I tried to cycle the pump etc.

Then this weekend, my neighbors hot water tank went out. Helped him out putting in a new one, and also A new expansion tank. DING DING DING

The tank has 3/4 threads on the bottom, shraeder on top. I drilled a hole through the internal bladder. Adapted the 3/4 threads to the 1" clear pipe. Used a shraeder to 1/4 flare fitting (like a fuel pressure gauge adapter that would use on a rail) and then proceeded to hook up my ac vacuum pump to it. HOLY COW. So much air came out. You do have to be careful at this method because a couple times I was actually boiling the fluid with too high of vacuum pressure but the sweet spot seems to be about 25 or 26".

This was no tilt on the car. I may do it again at work on a lift and see what else I get out. I think the key with all these methods is a larger reservoir of some sort, hard sided, that you can pull vacuum though

Mikec7z

you worked hard to get that far without a tilt of any kind, that I am sure

atljar

I have about 3 hours in it making the hose and connections and figuring out how to make it work. To regulate the vacuum I was using an ac gauge and just cracking open the hose releasing vacuum and then allowing it to build again.


I honestly think knowing what I do now and having this thing made up, you could do the bleed in under 30min.

The bladder in the tank, even though it's punctured, still holds some fluid in it. I think I'll cut open the top of the tank, remove bladder, and tig it back together. A pcv tank like you made would work just as well, I think I just was pulling a harder vacuum on it with my pump than you were able to do
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djnice

When you pull that much vacuum how do you supply fluid back into the system? Just refill after you are done?

atljar

I fill the entire 1" bleeder hose with coolant so that it has a cup or two of extra coolant in the hose above the system, before I start pulling the vacuum. When you fully release the vacuum, the level in the hose should drop as you are getting air out. Just keep topping off the 1" hose as you go.

Mikec7z

Step 1 to z06 purging: (joke, i found the video on the net, and re-uploaded it)

Slamking18

Hi guys. I have a 2016 CTS-V with the LT4 and am having the cavitating issue as well. ItIlooks like the system is similar but not exact but I'm hoping you can help anyway. The intercooler reservoir looks different in the way that my manual only calls to fill it to half way cold but it seems the the Z06 are filled to the top. Also, where you put the 1" I'd hose over the fill valve, is there a metal plunger valve in there? I'm struggling to see how putting a hose on there will allow coolant to rise when running but without the hose, how is it not spilling out? Is there some sort of cover or would any of you mind sharing a photo?

Mikec7z

can you take a photo of the res tank and about how high would you estimate it is in the engine bay? Most likely the res is ABOVE a pump, ending in part number xxxxx02.

There is a cap on our filler ports, and it is secured by a heavy duty clip.

Is your tank sealed, or does it have a filler cap?

I would go out on a limb now and say there is no reason to have air in there... but go ahead and get photos up and answer the questions I asked, and maybe we can find a reason why you would want air to remain??

Slamking18

Yes, the reservoir is combined with the engine coolant reservoir as separate chamber. It's the bottom one and is about level with the headers. It does have a small fill port and based on the manual should be filled half way in which it is. The intercooler pump is very low in the engine bay I'd say a bit lower than the crank and is on the opposite side of the reservoir.


My fill port is different as it only has a rubber cap and has a spring loaded metal conical valve the seals it. Do you have a photo of the c7z version?

This thread sounds to be exactly what's going on with my car. The V3 community unfortunately doesn't use their cars for what they were made for so I'm hoping to learn some things here. I made it through my first 20 min session and things seemed fine, the intercooler loop was flowing fine as I checked to ensure the pump was running after my run. About 15 mins into my 2nd session, car went into limp with a P00EA code which I believe is high IATs and when I got to the pits the pump was no longer running and my lid was scortching hot. Now, I can't get the pump to reprime and don't know what to do. The reservoir is still half full and I don't think the trick you guys do with the hose will work since I have that spring valve. I'm at a loss. I am modified with CAI, headers, 2.31 upper pulley, thermal isolator plates, and tune.

Mikec7z

so here is the bad news, unlike our pumps that "shut off for 3 min" and then come back on... you have a pump that ends in 02 part number instead of ends in 03. The 03 PN in our cars shut down when they see cavitation, the 02 pumps DO NOT shut down when they run dry, instead, they kill themselves.

My guess is, your pump is dead. Time for a new one.

I would buy the 03 part number pump IF your pump is indeed part number ending in 02. This will prevent further failures (only 3 min shutdowns will occur instead). In addition, i would fill the system up completely, there is no reason not to. GM was learning how it all worked still on your car, and they have a better understanding now. There is no need for any air in there at all.

These pumps can be ordered online through parts departments for about 230 bucks. Goodluck, let us know if you need anything else.

Slamking18

Im positive it is the pump with the shutdown as I can here it run when I put it in acc and it shuts down when it's dry and does restart after 3 minutes. Also, can you send a pic of the fill valve as I'd like to see how different they are.

Mikec7z

yours looks to be a pressure fitting with the needle in the middle, ours is just a cap, we take it off, and we can see right down into the tube, and see the water level no problem.

I would start by taking off the cap and filling the res tank first. I believe on your car the res tank feeds the pump directly, is this correct? or does it go to the front nose intercooler first and then the pump after?

Either way, fill the res tank to the top... turn on the car until you see air in the tank again, and then add more fluid. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

I would start there... as your fill port by the blower looks different then ours. Keep in mind, your pump could still be toast, and could just be self inflicting the trigger to shut off for 3 min, even tho it may have enough fluid. See what i mean?

You'll find out as you add fluid. Let me know if the pump is after the tank, or if the front HX is between the pump and the tank.

Mikec7z

if you want to get ambitious, i would recommend setting your system up like this, and have the intake of the pump facing upward. I would put the res directly above the pump. Forget the bleed port and capture lines. The one at the blower is a dream. The one at the tank is possible, but one thing at a time. If you decide to go this route, then I will assist you with the bleed capture line while your tank is removed from the car.

djnice

We have no fill valve on the Z06. What are the fill and bleed instructions for the CTSV?

Slamking18

So apparently the 2016+ CTS-V does not have any reservoir at all in the intercooler loop. Here's what I found pertaining to my car. It is the 902 pump, but it too has the cavitation shutdown. I'm not seeing where I can bleed it on my own at all without the special GM tool and stuff. Any ideas? Also, found this article which covers the c7z and CTS-V... https://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=8540

Mikec7z

this is interesting because i bought one of these 902 pumps, plugged it in, tested it, and could not get it to shut down due to cavitation. I practically killed the pump trying to cause it to shut down, it never shut down once. Are you sure you have the 902 pump?

Not saying you are wrong, im saying im trying to find where my test was off, and where your info is confirmed.

Anyway, when i tested the pump, i was only plugged into 3 of the 5 prongs, i was curious what the other 2 were for... and perhaps ONLY when the other 2 have juice, is the pump able to THINK and shut down on its own... and that would be the only way my test was true, and your data is also true that it does shut down.

Either way, back on topic, the zr1 2019 also has no res. GM realized there is no point, as fluid pushed is also fluid fed back into the inlet.

The rubber hoses absorb/accommodate any expansion and contraction of the fluid due to heat, etc.

A res with a cap or bleed port come in handy however, as they can be utilized to trap the air in the system, and then it can be bled out from that point. Otherwise, bleeding the air becomes a nightmare.

djnice

My 2013 ZL1 also has no reservoir. Its more like the CTS-V system. So who knows why GM added it to the Z06 and took it away from the ZR1.

The pumps do not have a way to sense cavitation. The pump can sense heat or amperage. So your test may not have hit the right parameters to trip. Since your test had the pump out of the car it may not have seen the same heat, load, etc. And as you say the other two wires may do something. However, let's say those two wires power the brains. All we have to do is temporarily disconnect (add switch) them to stop the pump shut down. That would be nice.

djnice

The tech link you posted shows you where the bleeders are. The little red valves. Don't you have those? They only do a partial bleed, but might be worth messing with.

Z06Norway

After GSpeed and others on this form have discovered that cavitation and pump stopping for 3 minutes i decided to see how much liquid if any i was missing, ie how much air is in my system.
Well short story.... 0.3 liter of extra fluid went in or 0.08 gallon (if i converted that correctly)
I tilted car max of what my lift could do, ran pump, waited, filled again, used vacuum to extract air trapped inside.
In the beginning when level, only a little cup would go in.
There is still air on top of reservoir but i can't get more out, unless i drain all, put a valve on top and bleed it out ?

Going to another track day oct 6th, hope limp mode is gone... power will still go away big time...

Ps if anyone have a HP tuner file of a car that has been refreshed with the P0106 they can share i would be happy if i can get a copy

Rune

Mikec7z

you did it right, have to have the car on the tilt and the vac pretty high, and cycle the car on and off to turn the pump on and off. Nice work buddy.