HELP.....Coolant Change Issues

usafimj · Apr 8, 2017

I drained the fluid, cycled water, put new 170 thermostat in, added new coolant

Issue now is that the t-stat won't open up and cycle the water. Top hoses are easily compressed.

What else can I do?

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zporta · Apr 8, 2017

You mean the pump isn't running? The Tstat won't open till the car is up to temp.

In order to get the pump to kick on it needs to be pressurized. Sounds dumb but I got my buddies to kick on by plunging his coolant tank

usafimj · Apr 8, 2017

zporta said:
You mean the pump isn't running? The Tstat won't open till the car is up to temp.

In order to get the pump to kick on it needs to be pressurized. Sounds dumb but I got my buddies to kick on by plunging his coolant tank

I've let the car get up to temp with and without the coolant reservoir cap on.

I've even tried squeezing the hoses but all I can feel is fluid sloshing around.

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Papaw · Apr 8, 2017

Since T-stats are easy to change you might want to switch back to the old one to see if you happened to get a defective 170. ?
When you ran the car up to operating temp did it keep rising or level off there?

SCGallo2 · Apr 8, 2017

Did you install your new 170* t-stat in the same orientation as your previous t-stat? If so, then you likely just have air in the system preventing your water pump from pulling/pushing coolant through your engine and radiator. Squeezing your lower radiator hose should burp the system and allow your pump to grab coolant. You can also try pressurizing your coolant expansion tank from above.

Your water pump is belt driven, so if your engine is running it should be pumping coolant through the engine, then once your engine is up to operating temp, the t-stat should open allowing coolant to flow through the radiator also.

zporta · Apr 8, 2017

I just realized I'm talking about the water pump for the heat exchanger.

I'm sure you have an air bubble lodged somewhere. I would squeeze as many of the hoses you can trying to free it

usafimj · Apr 8, 2017

Papaw said:
Since T-stats are easy to change you might want to switch back to the old one to see if you happened to get a defective 170. ?
When you ran the car up to operating temp did it keep rising or level off there?

The coolant in the reservoir would go down then go back to its original position.

SCGallo2 said:
Did you install your new 170* t-stat in the same orientation as your previous t-stat? If so, then you likely just have air in the system preventing your water pump from pulling/pushing coolant through your engine and radiator. Squeezing your lower radiator hose should burp the system and allow your pump to grab coolant. You can also try pressurizing your coolant expansion tank from above.

Your water pump is belt driven, so if your engine is running it should be pumping coolant through the engine, then once your engine is up to operating temp, the t-stat should open allowing coolant to flow through the radiator also.

Not sure if its in the same orientation. When my buddy and I installed the thermostat I'm pretty sure the "bar" on top of the thermostat was horizontal. Should it be installed with the "bar" vertical?

SCGallo2 · Apr 8, 2017

I installed the bar vertical, but don't think that really matters. The important thing is spring side pointing inwards towards the block.

usafimj · Apr 9, 2017

UPDATE.....I let the car sit overnight and the coolant level in the res went down a bit. I was able to add about a half gallon of coolant. Started it up and while it was getting to temp with the heater on high (4) and air selected to the head/foot section there were air bubbles coming up and the air blowing was HOT. Think I'm going to do a few more cycles and hope it works itself out.

With hot air blowing does that mean the thermostat is opening?

RedVenom48 · Apr 9, 2017

No, hot air from the heater is coolant on the engine side of the cooling circuit. HOWEVER, that is a good sign.

The GT500 features a closed cooling system, meaning ever part of the system is under pressure. Easiest type of cooling system to bleed as the air is purged to the tank. I wouldnt worry too much about it so long as you keep your eye on the reservoir level. A quick run around the block should get the T-stat to open and burp the system.

jenkins_1120 · Apr 9, 2017

I used a shop vac to bleed the system just on a whim and it worked

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Imatk · Apr 10, 2017

best way I've found is to pull the lower hose until you get some coolant. Never had much luck burping the system... I know others have, but I've never been able to.

usafimj · Apr 10, 2017

So far my coolant level hasn't changed since I filled it up on Sunday. My temp gauge stays around 1/4 of the gauge. Maybe slightly higher. I check the level every time I stop

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usafimj · Apr 11, 2017

Today I was able to put my car in an incline, get it to temp, and was able to burp it some. This is where my temp gauge stays at mostly. City driving and highway speeds.

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Pribilof · Apr 11, 2017

That's roughly where my factory gauge stays when up to temp, especially after the 170 tstat and VMP heat exchanger were installed.

HELP.....Coolant Change Issues

usafimj

Active Member

zporta

KB INSIDE

usafimj

Active Member

Papaw

Well-Known Member

SCGallo2

Balanced performance

zporta

KB INSIDE

usafimj

Active Member

SCGallo2

Balanced performance

usafimj

Active Member

RedVenom48

Let's go Brandon!

jenkins_1120

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Imatk

Well-Known Member

usafimj

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usafimj

Active Member

Pribilof

Life's Better @ Elevation

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