Bleeding Radiator

[markh]

I suspect that I have air in my cooling system (runs a bit hotter and heater is cool) what is the correct method of bleeding the system?. switch heater on undo bleed screw, fill header and run till stat opens and coolent exits bleed valve?.

any other tricks

MArk

[wolosp]

Steve Heath gives details for both types of engine in his book 'The TVR Griffith & Chimaera'. Both methods should be done with engine cold and heater controls on apparently.

"Pre Serpentine:
1. Remove blue pressure cap on swirl pot.
2. Fill it to the top.
3. Slacken the rad bleed screw, located at top of rad on one of the rad's sides.
4. When the level in swirl pot drops, tighten the rad bleed screw.
5. Top up the swirl pot to 1.5" below the screw thread & replace cap.

Post-Serpentine:
1. Remove screw cap on the swirl tank.
2. Remove blue expansion tank pressure cap & half-fill with coolant & replace cap.
3. Fill swirl pot to top of the thread.
4. Slacken the rad bleed screw.
5. When the level in the swirl pot drops, tighten the rad screw.
6. Top up swirl pot to top of thread & replace cap.

>> Edited by wolosp on Thursday 11th July 20:15

[joospeed]

maybe slightly misleading .. don't replace the rad bleed screw as soon as the level in the swirl tank drops .. only replace when all the air is out, then top up. getting the air out is the important bit otherwise yuo only use part of the radiator core's capacity.

[markh]

Joolz
thanks, but after filling do I run the engine to open the stat?

sorry I'm being dense

Mark

[simpo one]

Even then keep an eye on levels in the header tank. I've just had my rad recored, and since then I've had to refill the header tank (to half-way) twice because it was empty! No obvious leak anywhere so I imagine it's just the final air bubbles coming out. It took 2 longish jouneys to do it though.

[jtong]

I agree, it was very disconcerting to get my car back, also after re-coring the rad, to find the header tank needed topping up twice from empty too.

Apparently, "they all do that sir!".