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DIY: Bleeding cooling system

Morgan's Photo Morgan 29 May 2011

Using Alex's step by step guide, I have bled my cooling system.
Usually, if air is getting in, there is a leak of some kind. Check for this around the engine bay. The bubbles appeared in mine after I rinsed out the engine bay so the coolant level was still high and there are no leaks, fortunately.

Thought I'd chuck up a pictorial guide for others who may hear the bubbling waterfall behind their dash.
Plus, this place needs more DIYs!

Make sure you have a friend to help you

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Park the car on an upwards slope

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Take radiator cap off and block overflow tank. I used a G-clamp

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Start car

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Warm up the engine. Rev at 3000rpm until fans kick in

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Turn A/C to max heat

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Top up coolant. Water can be used to do this. Repeat this for a few fan cycles.

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Put cap back on and take off the clamp

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Drive car

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Let car cool down

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Keep an eye on the coolant level and top up when needed.

 

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Sam's Photo Sam 29 May 2011

Cool DIY morgz.

How do you know that you have bubbles in the coolant but? Is it a loud noise?
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Morgan's Photo Morgan 29 May 2011

When I turned the car on, I could hear what sounded like a waterfall behind the dash.
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Grant's Photo Grant 29 May 2011

Cool DIY morgz.

How do you know that you have bubbles in the coolant but? Is it a loud noise?


You'll know it if you hear it, used to happen in my old gen 2 but I had no idea what was doing it :)

Nice writeup Morgan!
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Alex's Photo Alex 29 May 2011

Brilliant.

Now I have a thread I can direct teh n00bz when they go ZOMG next!


Nice going. :drinks:
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AussieTemplar's Photo AussieTemplar 29 May 2011

I've got this waterfall sound aswell, I won't run into any serious problems if I don't bleed the radiator will I?

Nice write-up though Morgstein.
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Morgan's Photo Morgan 29 May 2011

AFAIK it just means there are pockets of air running through your cooling system. This may give your temp gauge a false reading?

But it took be about 15-20 mins to bleed this out including taking photos. It doesn't cost you anything so I don't know why you wouldn't do it!
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AussieTemplar's Photo AussieTemplar 29 May 2011

AFAIK it just means there are pockets of air running through your cooling system. This may give your temp gauge a false reading?

But it took be about 15-20 mins to bleed this out including taking photos. It doesn't cost you anything so I don't know why you wouldn't do it!


Eh I've just been so busy lately.. If I'm not at school, I work Saturdays and Sundays.. So many other things to do on top of that.
Maybe after school one day this week, hopefully :sarcastic:
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RX25SE's Photo RX25SE 29 May 2011

Nice one Morgs.

invisirep to you.
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bobbyjimmy's Photo bobbyjimmy 30 May 2011

Should of turned the heater on, but the A/C off - the fans would of been on from the get-go and taken longer.
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Martinez's Photo Martinez 30 May 2011

I'd always wondered what that noise was, will have to give this a try :drinks:
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thatTTguy's Photo thatTTguy 03 Jun 2011

Hey guys just wondering will this work for turbo models as well?? (more to the piont, B4's) :unsure:

Thanks :P
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B4TT's Photo B4TT 05 Jun 2011

Nice one Morgs, Not sure you need the heater on though... Don't hold me to this but I have a pretty good feeling that unlike a lot of other cars out there the subies don't have a heater tap and the coolant flows through the heater core at all times.

Very nice write-up :D

Hey guys just wondering will this work for turbo models as well?? (more to the piont, B4's) :unsure:

Thanks :P

Why wouldn't it is more the question.
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Morgan's Photo Morgan 05 Jun 2011

You're probably right, Lukeosh

In my research before doing the bleed, I found some that did put the heater on and some that didn't.
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RX25SE's Photo RX25SE 05 Jun 2011

I think Josh is correct also.

A safe bet with all cars is heater on max temp and low fan (so you can feel the heat).

coolwriteupbro.
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B4TT's Photo B4TT 05 Jun 2011

True true,

Always better to be safe and really it is no extra trouble to do it :D

Once again, great effort Morgan! good to see some usefull DIY stuff appearing.
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Evil_VZ-T's Photo Evil_VZ-T 05 Jun 2011

I always have the heater on hot from when i drain the old coolant, till its all done. I normally wait untill the bottom hose is hot, as the thermostat would of opened.

I have a special tool that can be bought from repco or any autoshop that sits on where the radiator cap goes, and holds a head of coolant. As when the air pockets come out, it sucks more coolant in.


On N/A models, use your only radiator cap which is on the radiator,

Turbo models, use your header tank one if you have duel caps, as its the highest point, unless your parked on a huge angle or on stands
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B4TT's Photo B4TT 06 Jun 2011

Surprisingly I actually havn't seen that tool. sounds like it could be a bit of win. Who makes it? I wanna get one.
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Alex's Photo Alex 06 Jun 2011

Surprisingly I actually havn't seen that tool. sounds like it could be a bit of win. Who makes it? I wanna get one.

Me too.


My home made one is p00.
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Evil_VZ-T's Photo Evil_VZ-T 06 Jun 2011

We have two at work, but no boxes so i dunno the brand. ive got my own at home in the original box so ill take a pix this arvo and put it up for you all.

Repco sell them here in ACT,
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