How do you get air pockets out on coolant drain

[7055]

So after I drain out the coolant and refill it again how do I make sure all the air pockets are out? Also how do you know how far to fill it up? I drive a neon srt-4

 

[ZZman]

Your manual should tell you what it holds. Run the car with the cap off and the heater on until the car is up to temp and any bubbles quit coming out.

 

[Kestas]

After coolant work, I refill, start the car up and let it run just a bit until the level goes down, then refill again. Top it off each morning until the level doesn't drop anymore - usually one or two mornings. Letting the car warm up after coolant refill is a waste of gas and should only be done if it's not your car you're working on.

 

[7055]

I know what it holds but there will still be some coolant left in the system, so do I go until it starts going into the reservoir or until its to the top of the cap or what. If I ran the car with the cap off wouldn't the coolant start coming out real quick when got hot?

 

[7055]

I don't have any coolant in the reservoir when the cars sitting, I don't know if that means its low or what

 

[frank2009]

Elevate the front of the car on ramps during the initail fill. Follow the advice of other posters too. Most importantly, check the level each morning.

 

[Steve S]

loosen the highest coolant hose "engine off" to let the air out.

 

[mechtech2]

Do what you can.
IT often fixes itself after a number of driving heat/cool cycles.
Keep an eye on the coolant reservoir - make sure to keep at least 3-4 inches in there so you don't suck air back in.

 

[Canawler]

I just looked at my SRT-4 to confirm (fun little cars, aren't they.) Most cars that I have worked on have some type of a coolant air bleed screw located at the highest point in the cooling system. The SRT-4 is no exception. The highest point is actually the fill cap on the thermostat housing but as you pour in coolant, the thermostat is closed so all the coolant goes down the hose into the radiator. As the coolant level tries to rise in the radiator and engine block the air trapped in the engine can't escape because the thermostat is closed. You provide an escape route for the air by opening the bleeder screw on the housing. On the SRT-4 it is just below the radiator hose connection and slightly to the right side of the t-stat housing. It looks like a brake bleeder screw. Just crack that open as you fill the radiator and keep pouring until coolant comes out the screw (it has a nipple on it if you want to attach a hose to keep from getting coolant everywhere.)

As far as the reservoir is concerned, you have to fill that separately after filling the engine/radiator combination.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Ok first just fill it up and turnont he heater. Leave the cap off once the operateing temp comes up rev it to at least 1500 rpms to get teh coolant really circulateing. IF you do not want it to over flow you have to slowly lower the rpm's do not just get on and get off. Next put the cap on and open the bleed screw most newer vechiles have bleed screws in the water neck to bleed air out from that area. You are basicly done.

 

[1sttruck]

It varies with the vehicle. Some don't have a radiator cap or at least one that you get to, so you just use the coolant reservoir. Others you run the engine with the radiator cap off until the thermostat is open, top off the coolant and put the cap back on. Other require different procedures. If there is a radiator cap then I check the engine when it is cold to make sure that the radiator is full, and when it warms up that the coolant reservoir is changing in volume as it heats and cools. I'll check ewach day until there is no air in the radiator when it's cold, which took a few days with the Cummins diesel.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
loosen the highest coolant hose "engine off" to let the air out.


Or drill a small hole in the top of the radiator.