I just replaced my water pump and radiator hoses and when I went to bleed the coolant system I couldn't get the bleeder to move and ended up stripping the bleeder. I've tried heating it with a torch and moving it with visegrips and it didn't help at all. Do you guys have any tip or tricks as to getting this out?
Seized Coolant Bleeder
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
Joined
·
20,093 Posts
They always do that, I don't think I have ever seen one of them work. Bleeding the air out of the engine is kind of time consuming, but, raise the front of the car or park it on a hill, open the cap, and then spend time watching the fluid and about every 30 seconds, rev the enigine to move the air out of the head and into the radiator. Turn on the heater so the air escapes from there, too. Watch and top off, watch, rev, top off, watch the temp gauge that it warms up. This can take up to 20-25 minutes to accomplish properly.
Joined
·
32,048 Posts
The bleeders could never be removed even when new - I tried one week after I bought a car new.
As Dana says, park uphill with radiator cap off and run it until the coolant level drops, and add until it stops going down, and begins to expand out the top. Then cap it and let it sit overnight. Next morning it will probably be down a little, having sucked some out of the overflow jug. Fill it all again. Worst case, it might take one more drive before it's all burped.
As Dana says, park uphill with radiator cap off and run it until the coolant level drops, and add until it stops going down, and begins to expand out the top. Then cap it and let it sit overnight. Next morning it will probably be down a little, having sucked some out of the overflow jug. Fill it all again. Worst case, it might take one more drive before it's all burped.
I've tried removing one with the correct sized socket type hex and an electric impact before, no go. However I have gotten them off successfully before. Currently, I have my car on jack stands and coolant will overflow from the radiator cap before even getting to the bleed plug. So as long as the front is jacked up sufficiently, you will remove all the air.
Yep, I had three 2.5L's and on every one the bleeder screw was corroded shut and impossible to remove.
As suggested parking uphill or on ramps is the next best way to burp the cooling system. In addition, I drill a hole with a 1/16 drill bit on flat surface of the t-stat and reinsert it with the hole at the 12 O'clock position. It will allow any air trapped in the thermostat housing to escape to the radiator and burp out. It's small enough that what coolant does flow through is negligible and does not affect the cooling system. The air has tendency to get trapped in the t-stat housing since it is the highest point of the cooling system. Parking on an incline or on ramps changes the high point to the radiator cap.
After burping the system, I recommend checking the coolant level for the next few weeks, adding more coolant as necessary.
As suggested parking uphill or on ramps is the next best way to burp the cooling system. In addition, I drill a hole with a 1/16 drill bit on flat surface of the t-stat and reinsert it with the hole at the 12 O'clock position. It will allow any air trapped in the thermostat housing to escape to the radiator and burp out. It's small enough that what coolant does flow through is negligible and does not affect the cooling system. The air has tendency to get trapped in the t-stat housing since it is the highest point of the cooling system. Parking on an incline or on ramps changes the high point to the radiator cap.
After burping the system, I recommend checking the coolant level for the next few weeks, adding more coolant as necessary.
Joined
·
21,398 Posts
I have cracked the top thermostat housing bolt loose to bleed the air out of the pocket before.
The problem was dissimilar metals (steel and aluminum) as well as threadlock. Once the hex rounds out, you are done. If you can still get a tool to bite into it, heat it and see if you can jerk it loose.
The problem was dissimilar metals (steel and aluminum) as well as threadlock. Once the hex rounds out, you are done. If you can still get a tool to bite into it, heat it and see if you can jerk it loose.
Joined
·
83 Posts
Joined
·
1,828 Posts
If it's still sealing, leave it alone. You'll never need to remove it. I have gotten mine out once when I needed to purge the system in a hurry, and that will be the only time I fiddle with the blasted thing. I have a Superstat in there now, which has a jiggle valve in it already.
I used a standard plumbing brass pipe plug from a hardware on one of these. When I got my plug out, I found that I had pulled out some of the aluminum thread, so I got a pipe plug from the hardware store that appeared to match, put permanent sealer on it and threaded it in the best I could. It was tight and never leaked. I never removed it again.
You could take the plug to a hardware store and see if they can match it up. I believe it is a standard pipe thread and not metric, but don't quote me on that.
You could take the plug to a hardware store and see if they can match it up. I believe it is a standard pipe thread and not metric, but don't quote me on that.
Joined
·
83 Posts
when i changed my coolant last year, i read about the procedures in:duncan1437 said:
- the official chrysler shop manual,
- the haynes manual, and
- the allpar.com link above.
only the allpar link mentions adding anti-seize thread sealant to the plug when bleeding the system. thank you to the guys/gals at allpar
duncan1437 said:when i changed my coolant last year, i read about the procedures in:
- the official chrysler shop manual,
- the haynes manual, and
- the allpar.com link above.
only the allpar link mentions adding anti-seize thread sealant to the plug when bleeding the system. thank you to the guys/gals at allpar
That's assuming you could ever get the plug off in the first place............That's what most of us are saying. It was corroded shut and impossible to remove from the beginning.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!