ramrugby09

I have air trapped in my cooling system. I just repaired my heater core and put it back together now I can't get all of the air out? I put the front end up on ramps, Ive squeezed the upper radiator hose for hours what gives? IT seems like theair is all out then I turn the heat off then back on and I can hear air gurgling in the heater core? Any ideas?

rdlsz24

Hmm usually just driving it around will get the air out and then you have to add more coolant to take the place of the displaced air.

Rob

ovrrdrive

I've never bled one before... I've never seen a reason to do it on one of these trucks.

But if I wanted to do it, or was in your position and had a reason to do it, I'd just buy a Prestone backflush kit and backflush it. They are really handy to have installed and I use it pretty regularly. It will take care of your problem...

MMA_Alex

usually just running the truck with the heater on, and the rad cap off is how you do it. As the level of coolant in the rad drops you add more, until it stops dropping at which point all the air should have worked its way out

1styota4X4

i need some help with this to if i do as stated above it just keeps emptying out the fill cap....but it will still act like i have air in the system....

suscribed

mtnfreak

Make sure your coolant overflow bottle is filled to the proper level. The cooling system will add or draw coolant to or from the overflow bottle as needed. Minor gurgling (sp?) in the heater core seems normal based on my experience.

mt_goat

It's possible you have a head gasket problem that's blowing gases into the coolant.

HAVOC

I use one of these at work: http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=230
To bleed the system:
Attach the funnel
Fill the radiator with coolant
Start the car, put the heat on high, set the fan to max.
Take a small screwdriver and stick in in the throttle mechanism to keep the idle around 1500 RPM's.
(You can also use an extendable hood prop rod between the accelerator pedal and the seat)
Then just wait. Keep adding coolant until the level wont go down anymore. Install the radiator cap. Fill your overflow to the FULL mark and you should be set. Drive the truck/car around for a couple of minutes (keep an eye on the TEMP gauge). Then check the level in the overflow after the car has cooled down completeley.

HAVOC

A quick note: If you have a bad radiator cap, the engine cannot pull coolant from the overflow to fill the radiator.

ramrugby09

Ok I feel like I have gotten all of the air out. I do not hear any gurgling in the heater core anymore. Now I have a new problem. It seems that the temp gauge wants to rise almost to the red before it comes back down to normal level. That is what happened when I blew the head gasket on my last motor. So I definitely don't want that to happen again. What could be causing this? Why wont the thermostat open like before?

mt_goat

That doesn't sound good. If the gauge reads any past halfway you are too hot. In 13 years I've never seen my temp gauge go past halfway.

ramrugby09

That is what I was thinking. My heater core was leaking so I kept the water valve that let the coolant go through it closed. The temp gauge never went past half way. Now that I have fixed the problem I am running hot? When flushing the system could I have some how skrewed up the thermostat? Could somthing be clogged? What temp thermostat should I be running? Should I flush the system and install a new thermostat? This is my daily driver and a new motor I can't afford to have this thing blow up! (should I run a toyota thermostat or are the ones from advance ok?)

MMA_Alex

My thought is that you have a sticky t-stat. When you turn the heater on on a 22re it blasts cold coolant at the t-stat, and tends to close it. Im thinking that yours is sticking closed after that

Not sure what temp exactly you should be running, but it would definately be worth replacing as that sounds like your issue. might also be worth doing the rad cap at the same time. Aftermarket t-stats tend not to be that reliable, but no matter what you get I would test it on the stove in a pot of water to make sure it opens at the right temperature. I'd recomend a rad cap too because if the seal on that is broken It wont help preventing boiling of the coolant, and aftermarket rad caps tend to be pretty cheap.

Winchester

There are a couple of ways to do this. One is to remove your thermostat fill radiator allow coolent to overflow out thermostat opening, these arre the two high spots for air to escape. Second is to park on a slope engine pointing up slope pop your radiator cap start engine, again this puts radiator opening at high point. Make sure to block your wheels, emergency brake....

mt_goat

Bingo! If it is a 22re read this: http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...tml#Thermostat

ramrugby09

Sounds good. I ordered one from the stealership down the road. They said it would be in tomorrow, so I'll let you know how it goes. I couldn't believe it was 35 dollars! Anyway while I was at it I was going to install one of those prestone back flush kits. Are they worth having?

ovrrdrive

Well it's subjective of course but I really like having it on my truck.

Not only can you positively flush the radiator, but you can do it easily, quickly and thoroughly.

When I did the timing chain I got some oil in the coolant so I just hooked up the hose and ran it clean.

I put well water in mine in an emergency about 7 years ago and installed the kit to flush out the rust and scale. I have used it about 10 times since then and have zero issues with it.

I give it two thumbs up.

MMA_Alex

I'd deff recomend a flush kit. Its worth replacing the coolant every year. I've had good luck with redline water wetter (never tried it on the yota tho). Redline is designed to reduce surface tension, and help to prevent bubbling in the coolant. I know a bunch of people who swear by the stuff.

ramrugby09

Cool I'll pick one up today and install it while I'm doing the thermostate.