Coolant Bleeding Instructions

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tnt31

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I plan to do a radiator drain and fill (maybe 2) on a 2006 Saturn Relay 3 with the 3.5L. The vehicle is new to me with an unknown maint history and has 127K miles. The fluid seems in good shape but I want to make sure. This is the same vehicle as a Chevy Uplander.

According to the owner's manual there are two bleeder screws but even after reading the manual I am not sure the exact procedure for doing this.

Any help appreciated.
 
Not sure about the Saturn, but on an Acura 3.5, the bleed screw is cracked open after filling the cooling system and left open until the engine warms to operating temp and a solid stream of coolant is seen from the bleed screw. Then, tighten it down.
 
Barring more specific I'd fill the rad, do a cold start, crack the valves open, and squeeze and release the top radiator hose. When coolant comes out, cap 'em off. Stop, let it cool, top off the rad & overflow tank. Drive. Be sure to point the thing up a hill and gun the gas. Cool again, check level, done.
 
Originally Posted By: Rand
if needed a radiator funnel can make the job very easy.

None of my recent vehicles needed one so I trashed mine as it was in bad shape.

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24610-Spill-Free-Funnel/dp/B001A4EAV0



The newer, better 24680 model with more attachements is available from Amazon... for less money!?

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24680-Spill-Free-Funnel/dp/B00A6AS6LY

The great things about both of these funnels is the bottom seal to the fill port, and the top plug that allows you to remove the funnel with fluid in it and hardly spill anything.
 
On all of my Toyotas I simply fill the radiator. Then the air will urge itself out while driving over the next few days and draw in coolant from the reservoir bottle. When I check it cold the reservoir is usually down 50-75%. I re-fill the bottle and am done. Then the level stays for another 50,000 miles when I do another D/F. However I do have the vehicle jacked up in the front when I re-fill.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: chestand
Not sure about the Saturn, but on an Acura 3.5, the bleed screw is cracked open after filling the cooling system and left open until the engine warms to operating temp and a solid stream of coolant is seen from the bleed screw. Then, tighten it down.


Pretty much. Our 3800 was the first car I've owned that had a bleeder screw. Before I started the car, I made sure to "burp" as much air out of the system by squeezing hoses as possible. Then I topped it off, closed it up and warmed it up. Once it was hot, I opened the bleeder screw and let the air out until it was only coolant leaking out.

Did the same thing a couple days later and very little air came out, mostly coolant. As of yesterday, it feels like there is perfect pressure in the coolant system so I'm not too worried about any air being left in there.
 
One thing I did is replace the black hose that goes from the overflow tank to the radiator cap neck with a clear one. You know in an instant if the system is working properly and full.
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
One thing I did is replace the black hose that goes from the overflow tank to the radiator cap neck with a clear one. You know in an instant if the system is working properly and full.


A brilliant and overlooked idea. I like it!
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
One thing I did is replace the black hose that goes from the overflow tank to the radiator cap neck with a clear one. You know in an instant if the system is working properly and full.


A brilliant and overlooked idea. I like it!


ha, every once in a while I can find an acorn.
smile.gif


This works especially well for those systems that leak such a tiny amount you may never know.

engine-shot.jpg
 
I haven't used the Lisle spill-free funnel myself nor have I ever worked on a vehicle that needed it to remove air from the cooling system.

The Lisle funnel is sealed to the rad neck so that excess coolant can sit in the funnel and any air bubbles that pass by will bubble up through this excess coolant. The rad is always full with no air pocket at the top and, apparently, on some vehicles it is necessary to have the rad kept full to bleed air out.
 
AirLift is the fastest, simplest way to ensure complete fill in hard to bleed systems.
 
I guess if you have your own compressor! (doesn't everybody??, well I don't! may be I should trade my half dozen scanners for a good compressor?? :)
 
I have this same vehicle 2005 version and the instructions are to open the bleed screws when you refill rad, start vehicle and run until coolant begins to leak out of screws then tighten the bleed screws back up. I have drained rad and refilled several times in the nine years of ownership. A quick drive thru the neighbourhood after buttoning up the bleed screws caping rad and topping up overflow tank has been my final step to rid system of air pockets.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
I guess if you have your own compressor! (doesn't everybody??, well I don't! may be I should trade my half dozen scanners for a good compressor?? :)


Go get a Harbor Freight Pancake compressor. Airlift doesn't require a ton of airflow.
 
The correct way to bleed the cooling system is to open the bleeder BEFORE you add the coolant.

The way it works is, as you're pouring in the coolant, the coolant pushes the air out the bleeder.

Think about it....

When you see coolant coming out of the bleeder, close the bleeder and you're done.
 
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