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Getting air out on coolant change

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Old 05-18-2009, 08:51 AM
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Getting air out on coolant change

This past weekend, I installed the RE Medy Water pump, and thermostat on my car. But when I filled the car back up with coolant, and was doing the air purging method. All was well at 2500 RPMs, but going up to 3500 RPMS, its sucked some coolant down kinda fast. So we shut it down. Topped off coolant to the F line. Started back up and started over with the 2500 RPMs deal. Coolant level was fine then, but then taking it up to 3500 RPMs, I had it at 3500 RPMS for about a min, and then the RPMS just dropped on me. Like I took my foot off the gas. All the way to about 800 RPMS. I shut the car down, and the fan kicked on after shut down. It did this 2 times in a row. where 2500 RPMs are fine, but going up to 3500, the RPMS just drop all of a sudden like I took my foot off the accelerater. Both times my fan kicked on after turn off. (which is normal). I followed the procedures on getting air out the system. couple questions

1. Should I be worried that I did something to my car? Did I hurt anything. The fans kicking on i know the engine was hot, but the RPMS dropping like that?

2. How do I know when the air is all out of the system?

3. Currently as it sits now, the coolant level is about a quarter of an inch above the F line, howver once warmed up and revving it gets about a centimeter maybe more above the F line.

Just wondering what happened, since I havent did this before. Also no leaks of coolant anywhere.
Old 05-18-2009, 09:02 AM
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mine is a bit above the line also, it doesnt hurt it, think it will dump it if it over flows

might turn your heater on think that allows it to get to the heater core, that was bugging me for a year ... air in the heater core

not sure of the rpm drop, maybe the air pump kicked off, it does act a bit weird on warm up some times

Last edited by czar; 05-18-2009 at 09:07 AM.
Old 05-18-2009, 09:35 AM
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I'll do another air purge with the heater on, perhaps that will affect my coolant levels more. I didnt have any heater or AC on when purging.

What's strange is I had to get my car pretty hot to get the fans to kick on after turn off like that. I know that's normal and have heard people talk about that on the forums, however I"ve never noticed it until this coolant change. I would say the outside weather was even 70 degrees not hot at all. So I must've gotten the car pretty hot. Still worried about the 3500 RPMS dropping like that. Anyone know what that would happen? I'm afraid to take it away from the garage now.
Old 05-18-2009, 09:38 AM
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i have a temp gauge, (scan gauge) my fans dont turn on unless i turn the ac on usaly
Old 05-18-2009, 09:45 AM
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I'm just really confused, I sure hope I didnt wreck anything. I did the air purge exactly like it said.
Old 05-18-2009, 09:53 AM
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Dont worry, my car did the exact same thing but I did this procedure in the middle of night and it was cold in the air so it happend when I was almost done.

Probably some safety stuff.

Fill up over F and do this procedure as long as you can, take a slow testdrive stop often and check the level.
Old 05-18-2009, 09:55 AM
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doubt u harmed it. is it doing anything weird when u restart it? coolant level still ok?

lol just make sure u put the cap back on before u turn it off >_< or you make a huge mess and get to start over...doh (did that once)
Old 05-18-2009, 09:56 AM
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Its not that good to stay still and rev it = no airflow to the cooler.

Do it when its cold outside or put some big fans infront of the car.
Old 05-18-2009, 09:58 AM
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I keep thinking on this. Theres a thread somewhere, that Nygps was saying that when your unhook your battery the PC needs to reset the idle. I'm wondering if this is a factor. Since I installed the pump and thermostat, the battery of course was unhooked. So once the battery is hooked back up, its trying to adjust my idle, and I"m reving to 2500 RPMS and 3500 Rpms, for 5 mins each, I'm wondering if somehow I'm confusing it? Thoughts? where's nygps at anyway. Probably sleeping in.
Old 05-18-2009, 10:01 AM
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Originally Posted by azathoth
Its not that good to stay still and rev it = no airflow to the cooler.
But yet that is how to get the air out is it not? That's a rubbish procedure. Rev to 2500 for 5 mins then rev to 3500 for 5 mins, but all in all that's not good for the car. Odd procedure.
Old 05-18-2009, 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by quazmosis
But yet that is how to get the air out is it not? That's a rubbish procedure. Rev to 2500 for 5 mins then rev to 3500 for 5 mins, but all in all that's not good for the car. Odd procedure.
Yeah I know its like moment 22, its the safest way to get the air out but in the same time its not good to not have airflow to your cooler.

Do the procedure as mutch as you can then drive it instead and stop and check the level.
Old 05-18-2009, 10:55 AM
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So all in all, is there really a tell tale way to know when all the air is out of the system? I have nothing but time, so i can do this over and over again, but when am i done?
Old 05-18-2009, 11:01 AM
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I guess its almost the same on every car, little depending of how mutch of the coolant you got out.

I did it for ~40min if I remember correct, filled 3-4 times during that. took a drive slow and steady for about 15min. filled up little more. thats it.

Its better to have little to mutch coolant then too little so fill up above F line.
Old 05-18-2009, 11:02 AM
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When the level dosent getting lower then you know all air is out.
Old 05-18-2009, 11:09 AM
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have no fear, NYCPS iz here!

first off, the "pedal is down for couple of minutes at 3500 rpm but all of sudden rpm drops like my foot is off the pedal" its a safety feature introduced since the heat shield recall. its in the system to prevent execeesive idling, which might result in overheating the cat converter that might melt the fuel line and gas tank.

the best way to bleed air outa the cooling system is, have ur car's nose up with two jack stand, then fill ur bottle up, leave the cap off, turn ur car on and idle for a bit, then fill it up for a bit more, close the cap, push the rpm up to 2.5 k for maybe a minute. check level, fill if needed, then close it again, push it for 3.5 k rpm, keep an eye on coolant lv. run 5 to 10 mins, then turn it off. come bacvk in an hour and run it again.
Old 05-18-2009, 11:16 AM
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Well good morning sir. Ok good we got the Rpm droppage out of the way. Now I feel like I can drive the car away from my house.

I'll give your method a shot, I'm 90% sure I'm good to go, but another bleed session can't hurt. I just feel weird that I'm in my garage, revving my car on jack stands. Can't imagine what the neighbors are thinking.

Actually can't imagine what they are going to be thinking when I give the decarb a shot.
Old 05-18-2009, 12:09 PM
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^yeah they will love the decarb!!!
Old 05-18-2009, 03:28 PM
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Originally Posted by azathoth
When the level dosent getting lower then you know all air is out.
not always.

there are areas in the engine that air might simply gets "stuck" inside and refuse to come out.

thats why its better to have your car's nose up when bleeding, air will come out a lot easier.
Old 05-18-2009, 03:57 PM
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Interesting .
I didn't read up on any proceedures when i did mine - just did it the way I always have .
IE fill bottle right to top - start engine - refill . Go for drive around the block with heater on - refill . Must admit that this did not actually work as I found I had to keep topping it off for the next few days till all the air was out . I think th important thing to remember is to keep checking the level till it stops going down.
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