What happens if I screw up the coolant air bleed?
 

I replaced the thermostat in my 2002 Olds Alero V6.

When I went to bleed the coolant air, I missed a step and want to know
if I did any harm.

Here's what I did. In parantheses is what i skipped.

1. Fill surge tank with coolant to "cold" line

2. Start engine with pressure cap off (My bad: I left it on)

3. Run engine until thermostat opens and upper radiator hose is hot.

4. Open bleed valve and allow air to escape.

5. When bleed valve emits no air, and only a solid stream of coolant,
close valve.

6. Replace surge tank pressure cap.

I ran the engine for a soild ten minutes, and coolant & air spurted
out of the bleed valve. I never achieved the "solid stream of
coolant". Was this because I had the pressure cap on?

Did I hurt anything?

Right now the car is cooling down. When it is cold again, I will
repeat the process correctly.

What happens if I screw up the coolant air bleed?
 

Right now the car is cooling down. When it is cold again, I will
repeat the process correctly.


Update - the car cooled down.

I repeated the procedure and followed directions.

I let the engine idle, with the pressure cap off, until the upper hose
was hot. Then I opened the bleeder valve.

The coolant spurted with air for a few seconds, then ran nice and
steady with a solid stream of coolant. I closed the valve and replaced
the pressure cap.

Lots of heat from the blower. A 15 minute drive showed no signs of
over or under heating.

It worked!

What happens if I screw up the coolant air bleed?
 

"bryanska" wrote in message

Lots of heat from the blower. A 15 minute drive showed no signs of
over or under heating.

It worked!

Yes, and you did no damage the first time.

What happens if I screw up the coolant air bleed?
 

On Dec 6, 9:13 pm, bryanska wrote:
Right now the car is cooling down. When it is cold again, I will
repeat the process correctly.

Update - the car cooled down.

I repeated the procedure and followed directions.

I let the engine idle, with the pressure cap off, until the upper hose
was hot. Then I opened the bleeder valve.

The coolant spurted with air for a few seconds, then ran nice and
steady with a solid stream of coolant. I closed the valve and replaced
the pressure cap.

Lots of heat from the blower. A 15 minute drive showed no signs of
over or under heating.

It worked!

Now go and clean up the coolant before animals get into it. It can
kill them. Glad it worked out for you.

What happens if I screw up the coolant air bleed?
 

Oh well maybe a raccoon, mouse, or rat will get in to it, in that case no
harm done.


"Pat" wrote in message
...
On Dec 6, 9:13 pm, bryanska wrote:
Right now the car is cooling down. When it is cold again, I will
repeat the process correctly.

Update - the car cooled down.

I repeated the procedure and followed directions.

I let the engine idle, with the pressure cap off, until the upper hose
was hot. Then I opened the bleeder valve.

The coolant spurted with air for a few seconds, then ran nice and
steady with a solid stream of coolant. I closed the valve and replaced
the pressure cap.

Lots of heat from the blower. A 15 minute drive showed no signs of
over or under heating.

It worked!

Now go and clean up the coolant before animals get into it. It can
kill them. Glad it worked out for you.