heat pockets?

[rwhite65]

What is the process to remove them from the cooling system. My car has the new electric fan on it, runs perfectly cool at the 70 degree mark I have it set to run at for about 20-30 minutes. Then it will climb 10 15 degrees......and stay there. It did not do this at all on a trip for about 45 minutes, but now all the sudden decided to do this

I had just put a freshly cleaned 4 core radiator in the car with a Taurus electric fan. Car has a 160-165 thermostat (which is kinda old). The fan is controlled by the DC controller.
Ryan

[88workcar]

Did you remove all of the air from the system?

[~The Jester~]

What do you mean by heat pockets Ryan? Do you mean air pockets in the cooling system? IF this is the case, read below.

With the newer cars having the radiators so low, this has become a MAJOR issue because the radiator cap is no longer the highest place in the cooling system, which is where the air wants to go. Some manufacturers (Ford, Chebby, etc) even started putting in little air bleeds into the cooling systems. Having figured out the newer cars, I adapted what I've learned to the older cars as well.

Basically what ya do pal, is this. Park the car somewhere you don't mind making a mess. Fill the cooling system. Leave the cap OFF. Start the car. IDLE, no throttle at all. Let the system warm up. It'll puke/suck for a bit until the thermostat opens, you'll know when the happens, the coolant level DROPS all of a sudden. Let the car idle for a few more minutes, and slowly add a mixture of antifreeze and HOT, I reiterate, HOT water. until full. Let the system circulate the new mixture for a few minutes, and make sure it's done "burping" out the air bubbles. A bit of steam from the radiator is a good indicator that she's up to temp and circulating. Once you're sure the system is stable, throw the cap back on. Then shut the engine off. Let the engine cool off. Since we put the cap on with hot fluid, and it has since cooled, we created a vacuum of sorts. Once the engine is cool (over night if you have the time) crack the cap off slowly. One of 2 things will happen. It'll puke some more, but more than likely it'll pull some air back into the system. When this happens, just top her off, and you should be good to go.

Snap On actually makes a funnel system for this. It mounts on the radiator cap, and you fill the funnel half full. Start the engine, let her warm up. What the funnel does is lets the engine burp out the air, but when it "sucks", all it gets is more coolant. This is alot faster, but it'll work the way I described above.

Just use common sense, and don't let the cooling system get TOO low at any time, and you'll be fine.


Now, if this ISN'T what you were talking about, we're both screwed. LOL

[rwhite65]

hahaha, thanks Jester....I was referring to the air being in the system....when I used the wrong term of "heat pockets". Never really had this problem, not sure I am even having this problem, but want to explore the possibilities.

88 workcar, as for removing all the air from the system....I would have to say no. I am not sure how to do that...other then what Jester described...and I am unsure how to even know I have air in the system for sure.
Ryan

[~The Jester~]

Almost no heat (if your heater core is hooked up) STOOPID stuff with the temp gauge, ie sometime hot, sometime cold, bouncing around, etc etc. Overheating for no reason, not heating up the next time for no reason. With me bro?

Another thing to keep in mind is the car's attitude towards coolant. I had a '79 F150 (351M) that would run forever with the coolant about 1.5" from the top. Fill it up, it'd puke it out, right down to that level. Found out, if it's happy there, then leave it alone. Just like women. HA! No, not true. Women are pink on the inside, and bitchy on the outside.

ANYWAYS, why do you have the fan coming on at 70*? Engines need SOME heat in them, especially if you have any "important" parts made of aluminum. 180*-200* is perfectally fine operating temperature. I'd set that fan to kick on around 120* or so. Is that your ONLY cooling fan, or is this an auxillary fan?

[rwhite65]

I got it set to come on around 170* or so. I really dont like it running anything over 190. Since it is not all that hot yet, I am just trying to figure out what it's major malfunction is right now. Plus, I have always been told fords (carbed) perform better when they are cooler.

The car has no power steering, no air, and only has a mild 306 to worry about cooling. The tranny is cooled first by the rad., then by the aux cooler, but my tranny usually runs pretty cool.

This is my only fan, but that big Taurus fan covers the entire radiator surface (almost) of that older style radiator.
Ryan

[Ieatcamaros]

You need to have the fan kick on sooner than 170.

On old school cars where the radiator cap is the highest point, I bleed the air out like this. I fill 'er up with water and start the engine. Let it run until the thermostat opens. And then it will of course, bleed down. Put some more water in it and let it puke over a couple of times. I also like to do this where I don't mind making a mess. For those engines that for some reason just won't let the air bleed out, I park the car pointing uphill.

[rwhite65]

ok, now that I know how to bleed it...here is some more questions. What does everyone run their coolant mixture at? 50/50? 20/80?

Has anyone had good luck with Redline water wetter? I think the coolest I can have the fan kick on is right around 158*.
Ryan

[Ieatcamaros]

I have red a lot of good things in the magazines about the redline, but I have not used it. I run my antifreeze at between 50/50 and 70/30. Most of the time, I'll mix it like the bottle says. That is usually 50/50.
**Tip**Don't buy that 50/50 premixed stuff at the auto parts store. I hear a lot people say how much cheaper it is, but it is not cheaper. 1 gallon of 50/50 premixed=$5. 1 gallon of straight antifreeze (Autoparts brand)=$6.50-$7. When you mix it 50/50 you have two gallons of 50/50 for $7. 2 gallons of the premixed would cost $9-$10. I thought that was worth pointing out while we are on the subject of antifreeze.

[grey88gt]

Ive found that if you drill a small hole 1/16 in the thermostat on the outer shell where the water can bypass just a tiny bit the engine will run a more consistent tempature, and when filling the coolant system back up most of the air will work itself out. Ive done this for years and its always worked great for me. Alot of the thermastats I sell at the parts store already have a small hole or bleed in them just for this purpose. Any ways some may not agree but thats just my opinion.

[Ieatcamaros]

Aboslutely! I always drill a hole, usually 1/8", if it is not already there. All of the thermostats I have bought in the last 3 years or so have already had the hole in it, as you mentioned.

[~The Jester~]

Originally Posted by rwhite65

ok, now that I know how to bleed it...here is some more questions. What does everyone run their coolant mixture at? 50/50? 20/80?

Has anyone had good luck with Redline water wetter? I think the coolest I can have the fan kick on is right around 158*.
Ryan

The closer you get to 100% water, the BETTER the system cools. Straight water dissipates heat better than a 50/50 mix. HOWEVER, straight water boils at 212*. The way around that is either pressurize the system (ie 7lb cap) and/or add antifreeze. So, for that reason I run 50/50 in the street engines. The race engines get straight water, BUT I add a jug of water wetter. Actually I use the "Purple Ice" stuff from Summit. It literally knocked 13* off of my water temp, all by itself.

Being a professional firefighter, I've read hundreds of articles on the characteristics of water, for obvious reasons. Mainly what's called friction loss. 150psi at the fire engine IS NOT 150psi at the end of that 200' hose. One way around that is exactly what you said. Water wetter. What it does, is breaks the surface tension of the water, and lets it "slide" through the hose easier. Think of it as water lube. It literally makes the water more slippery. Getting away from the firetruck stuff, this means more efficient cooling in the car world.

As a bonus, most companies are adding corrosion inhibitors to their water wetters. That's how most guys get away with running straight water in a race engine.

Long story short, I recommend a 50/50 mix with a jug of water wetter (of your choice) in streeet engines. You'll be a happy camper.

[rwhite65]

Jester,
Well said....I will put the water wetter in tonight.
Ryan

[Ieatcamaros]

Jester, you'd make a good water wetter salesman. Nice sales pitch there. LOL, J/K. I haven't done any reading on water wetter or purple ice and I wondered why it was better than antifreeze. You have persuaded me to drain my system and change to water wetter or purple ice. They are pretty much the same thing, right?

[rwhite65]

according to the water wetter bottle, u just add it to the current anitfreeze/water mix.
Ryan

[Ieatcamaros]

Originally Posted by rwhite65

according to the water wetter bottle, u just add it to the current anitfreeze/water mix.
Ryan

Hell, that's even better!

[~The Jester~]

Yep, they're pretty much the same thing. I for some reason, always used the Purple Ice. I have used the pink stuff too, with no problems at all.

Did I mention that Purple Ice has me on the payroll, and I get 10% of their sales? LMAO I wish!