Coolant Fill Question

[Turbo98]

Ok. I read some info on how to properly fill the coolant in my car and apparently some of it may or may not have been wrong. I replaced the radiator and here is how I filled it. I have since read this which was linked from this site and it seems to contradict some of thwat I did:

Cobra & Mach 1 Ford 4.6L DOHC Coolant Refill & Burp Procedure by Reische Performance Products

Here's what I did. I filled the coolant tank until the full line but did NOT replace the cap. I then started filling it through the CC tube and noticed it started filling up the expansion tank until it started running out. So the expansion tank was now completely full to the brim. I then installed the expansion tank cap and continued filling through the tube until full. I replaced the tube plug and started the car and got it fully warmed up then shut it down and let it cool overnight. I took the expansion tank cap off and looked at the tank level and it is down a little bit but basically still filled up to the top (completely full--past the full line). I then took out the CC tube plug (with the tank cap still off) and the level is down in the tube also. No coolant came out of the tank when I removed the CC tube plug. So now after reading the article above, it appears I did several things wrong. I now understand that you really can't open both the CC plug and the expansion tank cap at the same time.

So my question is where do I go from here in order to get this thing filled up correctly? Do I now need to remove some of the coolant from the tank to bring the level back down to the full line and start over? I don't think the expansion tank should be filled to the brim when filling the CC tube, correct?

Thanks for the help.

Oh, BTW, as a side note. I do have a little h ole drilled in my t-stat to help bleed the system when filling it.

 

[Bright Blue Cob]

I have used the method outlined in the owners manual without a a problem several times. If you are getting heat out of your heater and the gauge reads as usual you should be ok. I would get the level back down to where it is supposed to be so the excess is not forced out onto the ground when it expands. It may expel more than what is needed that way.When I am done I run the engine at about 2500-3000 RPM and then let it idle and watch the temperature, no problems so far.

 

[SVT CAMR]

I did not hear you say you had any problems with over heating so your good!
I would just take to crossover cap off watch the bubbles till they go away and let it idle and puke a little. I use a small baby funnel and stick it in the cross over hole and it fits snug with no leaks. So when the level rises a little it stays in the funnel. The car just needs to idle and you will see bubbles after a while you will see a steady flow stream inside the tube. I would keep the expansion tank cap off for as long as possible. At some point it will have to go back on because things get messy.

Here is how I do it.
After flushing out the motor and blowing out all the clear water with a air compressor I begin the fill process. I have the crossover plug remove and the expansion tank cap removed. I fill as much 50/50 coolant as possible into the cross over tube. I wait till it goes down and just keep filling till I can't. I then start the car and keep filling through the crossover tub. I know I'm getting close when I start seeing coolant coming up into the expansion tank. At some point I put the cap of the expansion on because there will be a mess if I do not. With the car still running and expansion tank cap on I just keep keep filling through the cross over tube till the expansion tank says full.

Now I watch the bubbles come out of the cross over tube and wait for the t-stat to open. Then At some point if I can I remove the cap on the expansion tank and fill some more through the cross over tube. At some point the cap goes back on the expansion tank and I watch the bubbles with the car still running. Once ALL the bubbles are gone and I mean ALL of them I can put the coolant crosser over cap back on when I see a steady stream. Before this happens somewhere in the middle of things the car will puke coolant this is normal and just keep filling and waiting for the level to be reached and the bubbles to go away. It is not a quick process. The longer you wait for the bubbles to escape the better off you are. After driving around for a day I relieve the pressure of the expansion tank a couple of times and watch the level. Done. I have NEVER had a problem. EDIT: I forgot to mention you need to have the heat on while you are filling the system.

Now that I think of it. It has been 3 years and I'm ready for another go around with this.:xpl:

 

[Turbo98]

Ok, thanks. Well since I already have the expansion tank completely full, I think I should start by removing some of it so the system can expand. Then I think I can start the process. I guess what I'm getting at is that if I fill it from here through the CC tube, the expansion tank will never go down and will remain too full.

 

[Turbo98]

I have used the method outlined in the owners manual without a a problem several times. If you are getting heat out of your heater and the gauge reads as usual you should be ok. I would get the level back down to where it is supposed to be so the excess is not forced out onto the ground when it expands. It may expel more than what is needed that way.When I am done I run the engine at about 2500-3000 RPM and then let it idle and watch the temperature, no problems so far.

Well, you make a good point and I didn't even think to look in the owner's manual. Sure enough, it explains how to do it. So thanks for bringing it to my attention. What I did was to take out enough coolant from the expansion tank until it reads full when cold. I put the cap on then filled it in the CC tube until full. Now I'll fire it up with the heat on and let it fully warm up. Then let it cool and check it again. I think I'm good because the CC tube didn't take much at all. I was squeezing the upper radiator hose until no more air came out and it remanined in the funnel. Plus I think the small hole in the t-stat helps bleed the system.

Oh, I just used a small funnel and forced a 3-4" piece of vacuum hose onto it. Then jammed the hose into the CC hole. It worked great!

 

[ty.thompson1981]

i agree with SVT CAMR on his method to filling. I had to learn the hard way that you have wait for ALL the bubbles to be out of the system lol. I replaced my radiator and filled it just the way he said but I guess I didn't get all the air bubbles out and put the plug back in the cross over tube and went hauling ass down the turnpike. Big mistake! I got up to 80 and the temperature gauge shot up like a tachometer! I shut the car down and coasted into the breakdown lane. I pulled the plug out of the cross over tube after letting it cool down and to my surprise there was not much coolant left in it lol. Luckily I took my coolant jug with me and I filled it up with the car running until ALL the bubbles and burping went away. Plugged it up, and took back off. Never had an overheating problem after that. These cars absolutely do not like air in the cooling system! Make sure you are patient and visibly see no more bubbles while you are filling it up. Good luck!