Radiator filling question... [Forums - C4 Technical]

C4 Technical > Radiator filling question...
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jsup	Radiator filling question...	#1
Elite Guru 1778 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	This is the first car I'm putting together that has the radiator cap on an external reservoir instead of right on the radiator. So question... Besides drilling a hole in the Tstat, which I'm not going to do, is there any tricks to filling these things, or just pour antifreeze directly into the remote reservoir? Any other tricks that aren't in the FSM? How does the anti freeze travel from the reservoir to the rest of the system? Thanks
	Posted on: 2008/1/20 23:39

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pianoguy	RE:Radiator filling question...	#2
Guru Emeritus Apple Valley, MN 14762 Posts Member since: 2007/12/29 0:00	I took this note from somebody at that other forum - I can't speak from practical experience, though: If you have a second person, you can hold revs at 3k while filling, when totally full replace cap, then let off throttle. DO NOT let off the throttle while cap is off, messy, and dangerous.
	Posted on: 2008/1/20 23:47

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jsup	RE:Radiator filling question...	#3
Elite Guru 1778 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	BTW, I should mention, the car is COMPLETELY empty as I had the heads off and the intake off, and the oil cooler lines off, and the radiator out. There's not a drop of AF in the system, perhaps only in the heater core and a little in the lines going to it.
	Posted on: 2008/1/20 23:48

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bogus	RE:Radiator filling question...	#4
Grand Imperial Pooh-Bah San Pedro, CA 20859 Posts Member since: 2005/9/7 0:00	remove the t-stat and fill the block with coolant. Then fill the raditator. Done. Be ready to burp it.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 0:17

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jsup	RE:Radiator filling question...	#5
Elite Guru 1778 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	Quote: remove the t-stat and fill the block with coolant. Then fill the raditator. Done. Be ready to burp it. Ah crap. T stat already set in place with a gasket and a thin coat of permatex. I have an extra gasket, not a big deal..
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 0:26

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bogus	RE:Radiator filling question...	#6
Grand Imperial Pooh-Bah San Pedro, CA 20859 Posts Member since: 2005/9/7 0:00	no biggie... this works regardless of where the fill is. You see, the surge tank is the fill of the rad, really doesn't matter if it's attached or remote.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 0:31

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jsup	RE:Radiator filling question...	#7
Elite Guru 1778 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	Quote: no biggie... this works regardless of where the fill is. You see, the surge tank is the fill of the rad, really doesn't matter if it's attached or remote. In the "old days" the expansion tank was just that, expansion. It wasn't a fill. That wasn't a fill, the cap was directly on radiator, so it was simple. In this system it appears this tank serves two purposes, as both the fill and the expansion tank. HOWEVER, there is a second tank down in the front fender too. THAT must be the expansion tank. So would YOU take the tstat off and fill there?
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 1:07

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bogus	RE:Radiator filling question...	#8
Grand Imperial Pooh-Bah San Pedro, CA 20859 Posts Member since: 2005/9/7 0:00	that's what I have been trying to say! You are confusing terms and functions. The surge tank is the rad fill... and a reservior of coolant. It also increases the volume of fluid in the system. The expansion tank is there to accept coolant as it expands due to heating. You CAN top off via the expansion tank, but not fill.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 1:42

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jsup	RE:Radiator filling question...	#9
Elite Guru 1778 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	Gotcha. They simply moved the fill from on the radiator to the tank.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 2:08

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joeld	RE:Radiator filling question...	#10
Guru Lawrenceville Ga 718 Posts Member since: 2007/12/30 0:00	I agree with bogus 100% on removing t-stat and filling engine with coolant. This is how I have always re-filled a dry engine, too easy to damage heads or head gaskets if not done. Only other tip I'v got is to pour coolant in slowly and allow trapped air to bubble out. Will still have to be burped but this does help when I do mine. Joel
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 2:12
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RollaMo-LT4	RE:Radiator filling question...	#11
Trivia Winner Rolla, Missouri 422 Posts Member since: 2007/12/29 0:00	Quote: Gotcha. They simply moved the fill from on the radiator to the tank. Exactly! The main reason was to help get the air out of the system, as the top of the radiator is lower than the engine. If you look at that tank, you will see two decent size hoses going back to the water pump. Water will flow through these back into the engine and radiator. Also note, that top tank is part of your pressurized system. The overflow tank in the lower front fender is not pressurized.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 2:15

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jsup	RE:Radiator filling question...	#12
Elite Guru 1778 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	Ya know. the system takes 16.9 quarts, in other words, just enough over 4 gallons that I'll have a gallon being pushed around the garage. More crap under my feet. Cool. I'm going with distilled water and Prestone. Water Wetter any good? I'm not a big believer in stuff like that, but can't hurt anything to throw it in, right?
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 2:20

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RollaMo-LT4	RE:Radiator filling question...	#13
Trivia Winner Rolla, Missouri 422 Posts Member since: 2007/12/29 0:00	Water Wetter is intended to be used when your NOT using any antifreeze.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 2:37

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pianoguy	RE:Radiator filling question...	#14
Guru Emeritus Apple Valley, MN 14762 Posts Member since: 2007/12/29 0:00	Quote: I agree with bogus 100% on removing t-stat and filling engine with coolant. This is how I have always re-filled a dry engine, too easy to damage heads or head gaskets if not done. Only other tip I'v got is to pour coolant in slowly and allow trapped air to bubble out. Will still have to be burped but this does help when I do mine. Joel A good tip, duly noted. My new water pump came with the T-stat installed, but looks like I'll be peeling it apart anyway.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 3:10

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jsup	RE:Radiator filling question...	#15
Elite Guru 1778 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	Quote: Water Wetter is intended to be used when your NOT using any antifreeze. I just read the bottle. Says from 15-50% antifreeze is OK. Any value in this stuff?
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 3:57

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CasetheCorvetteman	RE:Radiator filling question...	#16
Elite Guru QLD, Australia 2071 Posts Member since: 2006/7/18 0:00	I dont know what car it is yet, i can only guess its a 90-96 Corvette. Dont put anything in the overflow tank yet. Get your concentrate, premix it 50-50, pour it into the surge tank until it comes to the filler neck, then crack the bleeder on the thermostat housing, there should be a bit of air come out as the lower hose fills, then when you get a steady flow of coolant, shut the bleed screw, and fill the system back up to the filler neck. Start the engine and pour in what you need as the engine idles, DONT come right up to the filler neck yet, when it gets close, open and close the throttle in quick bursts for about 10 seconds, this will pump abit of air out, then top it off til the coolant can be seen in the surge tank. Wait til it reaches about 185-190, then hold the throttle at about 1,200rpm, and fill it to the brim, then put the cap on, and release the throttle. Shut it off and wait for it to cool abit, add water/coolant mix to the overflow tank. once it is under about 140, start it up again and allow it to get back up to operating temp. Any air in the system will exit via either the steam pipes on the back of the heads, or the top radiator-to-surge tank outlet, both of which dump into the surge tank under the level of the cap. No air will get low enough in the radiator to go back into the engine via the lower hose. From the surge tank, any air will exit the system via the overflow tank in the bumper, and will be replaced by coolant when the system cools down and sucks it back in due to contraction of the fluid.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 7:26

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CFI-EFI	RE:Radiator filling question...	#17
Senior Guru Top of Utah 372 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	Quote: I just read the bottle. Says from 15-50% antifreeze is OK. Any value in this stuff? Water Wetter will help in the heat transfer from the engine to the coolant and back from the coolant to the radiator. It can help make your engine run cooler. It seems to have a greater effect when used without antifreeze, but it has helped my engine run cooler with a 50/50 antifreeze mix or greater. If one chooses NOT to use antifreeze, than you need something to provide water pump seal lubrication and anti-corrosives. Water Wetter can fill that requirement, also. RACE ON!!!
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 19:30

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jsup	RE:Radiator filling question...	#18
Elite Guru 1778 Posts Member since: 2005/9/9 0:00	Quote: Quote: I just read the bottle. Says from 15-50% antifreeze is OK. Any value in this stuff? Water Wetter will help in the heat transfer from the engine to the coolant and back from the coolant to the radiator. It can help make your engine run cooler. It seems to have a greater effect when used without antifreeze, but it has helped my engine run cooler with a 50/50 antifreeze mix or greater. If one chooses NOT to use antifreeze, than you need something to provide water pump seal lubrication and anti-corrosives. Water Wetter can fill that requirement, also. RACE ON!!! Thanks, I'll throw it in. I'll have just under a 50/50 mix. I'll have four gallons of liquid, one pint of WW, and an extra pint of water. Should be fine.
	Posted on: 2008/1/21 20:02

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CentralCoaster	RE:Radiator filling question...	#19
Senior Guru San Diego, CA 9454 Posts Member since: 2007/10/28 0:00	Quote: The surge tank is the rad fill... and a reservior of coolant. It also increases the volume of fluid in the system. The expansion tank is there to accept coolant as it expands due to heating. You CAN top off via the expansion tank, but not fill.
	Posted on: 2008/1/22 22:33

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