Coolant Bleeding

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L
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Coolant Bleeding

Post by L »

I have just installed my engine from building so everything is completely empty coolant wise. Do I have to follow the fsm procedure or can I just run the engine nose up and open radiator cap and bleeder bolt? I plan on using the motoman method of break in and I don't want to erase the hatch marks before I get a chance to get it under load. The FSM procedure looks like it will take a while.
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Post by NeverSatisfied »

Fill it up, run with cap off, turn heater on. Let the fan cycle a few times. Make sure to get all the air bubbles out, and go easy on it for awhile at first to make sure you have all the air out and its not overheating.
If its worth doing, its worth overdoing.
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Post by L »

Would it be better to lift the front up?
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Post by 240sxfan6882 »

Lift off the front as high up as you can.
Fill it up and remove bleeded screw and radiator cap off.
Turn on car with heater on max on and let it warm up.
You will see foamy bubbles start to come out of the top bleeder hose so squeeze all the hoses and keep filling the radiator to not let it run out of water.
Re-tighten the screw bleeder screw loosely and just watch the top of the radiator and keep it full.
Once the thermostat opens just add water to fill it up and keep an eye on the temp gauge.

It will take a while. But keep filling and squeezing and topping it off.

I then lower the car flat on the ground and remove the bleeded screw again until solid water starts to come out. Retighten it after it does fully then just add water to radiator and thats it.

Once the car cools check coolant level again and refill and make sure you have some fluid in the coolant tank before you start.
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Post by Jmcc »

just fill up the rad, put the heat on just turn it to heat don't have to have the blower motor on. let idle for about 10-15 min. then hold 2k rpm for about 5 min. then shut the car off with the cap open still let it cool down. and you will need to add some coolant as it cools then you should be all good.
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Post by L »

That's all straight forward, I'm just worrying about not being able to break it in properly because of this. By that time I won't have time I would think.
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Post by ATL240 »

Well, if you wanna do this faster than take the thermostat out. Just add one after you break it in
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Post by c_mancuyas8 »

^^^ This I took mine out and no issues at all
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Post by Hype »

OP, here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24610-Spill ... roduct_top

I bought this in prep for my new built motor. Just installed new Mishimoto rad and filled the other day. The tall funnel becomes the highest point in the system and the airtight seal causes the coolant in the funnel to push all the air out. You can hear it whistle out the bleed hole. BUY THIS FUNNEL!
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Post by L »

My temps are hitting 210 with both cap and screw off! It's spilling everywhere and smokes out of the bleeder screw. The air is just rushing out of the bleeder hole like crazy.

And the thermostat isn't opening and it's brand new.
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Post by DeepSeaDynamo »

any chance that the thermostat is in backward?
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Post by L »

I don't believe you can put it in backwards. I think I remember testing it and the spring will it the neck of the elbow.

My question is how long will there be large amounts of steam shooting out of the bleeder hole? Mine is like a smoke screen. And there is no water in the bottom hose at all.
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Post by supakat »

Remove the thermo and see if you get it resolved. If so bad thermo. Still there, block in coolant passage hence something wrong with the motor as you got it.
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Post by L »

Brand new nissan thermostat. And the I completely disassembled the engine and put it back together. But how long should a constant stream of steam be flowing out of the bleeder hole? I've heard of squeezing the hoses but that should just let air back in shouldn't it?
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Post by supakat »

This means it could be blocked up. Double check the pump and make sure the fins are not corroded.

You have had nothing but issues with this motor. Between it running rich and this, I wonder about who you got it from and your compentency. Not trying to be a dick.
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Post by L »

First build, my competency isn't as good as it could be. Just for reference, it's now running 17+ at idle.

What's blocking it and where? Water pump looked good. No play in any direction.
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Post by supakat »

That is what you have to find out. We are not there but remove the thermo and bleed her. If everything is good, then thermo. Just because it is brand new does not mean it could be DOA. Other possibility is that the water pump is not pushing but I doubt that since you said it is fine. When you remove the thermo, it will get you one step close to what is the real issue.
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Post by L »

There is water in the bottom hose now. When I squeeze both hoses, straight water comes out of the bleeder screw, does this mean there is no air at all?
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Post by beercandrifter »

no it just means theres no air at that moment, after you let it run for a while it vibrates bubbles out of the radiator fins / heater core fins. my cxracing radiator is notorious for holding air bubbles and requires this.

I just stick a pressure nozzle to the water tank hose coming off of the radiator and push water back in (with the bleeder screw out) after the car has been at operating temps for a bit. usually the second time and its bled, some times it just takes longer. And im one of the few who dont run a heater core which is half of the trouble when it comes to bleeding
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Post by L »

So warm it up one more time without the cap on or take both the screw and the cap out?
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Post by L »

I just can not figure this out, my temps didn't go much above 175 but that's at idle. I didn't try driving it because the idle started to fall to around 700. But when I do take the bleeder screw out the coolant just bubbles out in a bubbly squirt. Every time I squeeze a hose the air comes out and then just goes back in.

Edit: I guess the best thing is to just run it up to temps, let it cool down slightly, then take the cap off and squeeze the hoses, I found a lot of air in them. good news however, my thermostat came online and it hovered at 180. Bad news is I definitely missed my motoman break-in period.
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Post by Hype »

as I already suggested, buy the Lisle coolant funnel. Install the funnel, put the stopper in, fill with coolant. Open the bleeder screw, open the heater up to full heat, pull the stopper in the funnel. Air will be forced out by the coolant draining from the funnel. Replace the stopper and close the bleeder when coolant spurts from the bleed hole. Done.
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Post by supakat »

Hype wrote:as I already suggested, buy the Lisle coolant funnel. Install the funnel, put the stopper in, fill with coolant. Open the bleeder screw, open the heater up to full heat, pull the stopper in the funnel. Air will be forced out by the coolant draining from the funnel. Replace the stopper and close the bleeder when coolant spurts from the bleed hole. Done.
LOL. I can sense the frustration.
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Post by Hype »

supakat wrote:LOL. I can sense the frustration.
ahahah yeah. IIRC it was you that recommended the funnel to me when I posted a thread last year! I bought a beat up vert for $400 with a blown hg and re-ringed it while I pulled everything for a 5 speed swap. Long story short I had bleed problems, overheated and ruined the fresh rings I put in, just like this guy is gonna lol. That was a beater but I'm hoping to start up my built motor in my hatch this weekend for the first time and I will have none of that!
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Post by adamky »

L wrote:Bad news is I definitely missed my motoman break-in period.
I wouldn't freak out about it too much. Just try to get your issues sorted out and start the break in as soon as you can.



Maybe I am just lucky, but I have only had an issue with bleeding my cooling system once out of the 10+ times I have had to do it. I just always jack the front of the car all the way up, add coolant, and then start the car with the rad cap off and replace it as it warms up. I have never even used the bleeder screw.
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Post by supakat »

Same here. When I started having issues, I got pissed and took out the thermo.
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Post by nismoautoxr »

I used to have probs with mine untill I started tearing the jiggler out of mine . Its no problem since . LOL
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Post by ATL240 »

nismoautoxr wrote:I used to have probs with mine untill I started tearing the jiggler out of mine . Its no problem since . LOL
haha good idea....and don't forget to put the "jiggler" at 12 o'clock .
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Post by L »

Hype wrote:
supakat wrote:LOL. I can sense the frustration.
ahahah yeah. IIRC it was you that recommended the funnel to me when I posted a thread last year! I bought a beat up vert for $400 with a blown hg and re-ringed it while I pulled everything for a 5 speed swap. Long story short I had bleed problems, overheated and ruined the fresh rings I put in, just like this guy is gonna lol. That was a beater but I'm hoping to start up my built motor in my hatch this weekend for the first time and I will have none of that!
Well it never went above 215. I think I'm fine there.
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Post by Hype »

L wrote:Well it never went above 215. I think I'm fine there.

gl with your new motor. Have you performed the MotoMan breakin yet? If you have a compressor (or know someone who does), do a leak down test after you do however many runs/miles you plan and let that be your guide.

If you're already done, I'm curious as to how you began. Did you idle the motor for a bit after startup to let temps come up, or did you pretty much go right for the hard breakin after making sure there were no leaks etc?
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