Bleeding The Cooling System on a 350 Tasmin

[Chimpandtonic]

Hi Wedgies, Happy New Year to you all

It's rad swap time for Solitude so that means the Chimp will be getting his hands dirty

My bleeding approach would be heater on full, fill slowly at the swan neck while bringing the revs up to burp the air through.

Chimps like a funnel in the swirl pot (don't we all ), the head of coolant in the funnel certainly helps the process & jacking the front of the car can aid releasing trapped air pockets too.

Are there any Wedge specific coolant bleeding tips you can share with the Chimp?

Thanks in advance, Dave.

[adam quantrill]

My fave method is to leave the swan neck alone and to take off the small tube that leads from the swan neck to the header tank, at the header tank end, and to stick a small funnel onto it, raise it, then top up until the header tank fills up (and no bubbles come out). (Bubbles being round air things, not chimps...)

[Chimpandtonic]

Perfect thanks

[Number 7]

My method has always been to fill the rad via the swan neck very gradually, constantly squeezing the top and bottom rad hoses to encourage the air out. When you're sure you can't get any more coolant in that way, cap the swan neck and put a little coolant in the header tank (maybe 1/4 full).When squeezing the rad hoses you should be able to hear the jiggle pin in the thermostat rattling, indicating that coolant is up to that level. Start engine and run, occasionally holding the revs up a bit to speed the coolant flow. As the coolant warms, the level in the header will rise. Once it gets near the top, replace the cap and continue running the engine, ensuring no leaks and that the thermostat opens by checking the top hose temp. Once the fan(s) kick in, allow to cool and top up the header tank. I've used this method for 20 years and never had an airlock.

[Chimpandtonic]

Thanks Number 7.

Bodgit & Chimp were on it today, lots of corroded fasteners

Who the hell designed the rad mounting arrangement? Must have been a double jointed ambidextrous postman.

Solitude complained of chest pains while the sausage sandwiches & tea were supplied by Mrs Solitude

Finally the rad came out

Sadly, our EBay bargain rad is significantly different but that's some fun for another day............

A bit of fabrication & creativity and it will fit

Stay tuned for the next exciting instalment from Bodgit & Chimp

[adam quantrill]

If you got an SDi rad it should fit but you may find the elbows are different. However if you attach the usual hoses you'll find when the system pressurises the kinks work their way out and it all works fine.

Any slight difference in width can be taken up with a bracket and some longer bolts (my recored one came back a little shorter).

[dixiebabes]

Dave im sure they all vary but i have tried every way possible to bleed the cooling system. The one sure way is to put it all together fill it up then take it for a run till it start banging and braying under the bonnet, vent off the steam and there ya go all burped and full.

Dix

[Solitude]

Thanks Dix.

As stated by Dave, rad is different (wider, shorter but with more cores) but does look like it would cool better.
Gonna have to cut and shut some bracketing to fit.

Easy enough to remove bonnet tho, as bolts freed off rather nicely. Same cannot be said for lower rad bracket bolts (shearing was the best way of removing) although with the combo of dave's (proper) toolkit, and my sparks tools, we done good.

Daves hourly rate of sausage sarnies and tea was a touch, and i must say the teamwork was great.

Also got a run out in the crimson starmist (burgundy) "chimpmobile".......very nice (claustraphobic with the roof up mind but trying to edumacate him), very fast and a lovely soundtrack.

thanks Dave



P.S. Anyone know where otter switch can be sourced ?