General Bleeding coolant?

[doogal]

Evenin'
Just re-filled the cooling system on the B following fitting a new Radiator. I've managed to get about 5 litres of 50/50 mix into the system, but it's supposed to take 6.2 according to the workshop manual. Even assuming that there was residual old coolant still in the system, I'd have thought I would be able to sqeeze closer to 6 litres in.

I've run the engine until warm although the temperature gauge won't get above about 1/4. Heater is working sort of - i.e. warm not hot. I've undone the bleed screw on top of the rad with the result that some air came out followed by coolant with no bubbles that I can see. My immediate thought is that there is more air somewhere...

Question is - does anyone know of any other bleed screws for the system apart from the one on top of the rad?

Thanks
Doog.

 

[DanGil]

Towards the back of the engine theres two heater hoses, If its the same as a hgt theres a bleed on one of them.

 

[doogal]

Thanks. Will have a look.

 

[doogal]

I've now had a look and cannot see a bleed screw anywhere on the heater pipework. Maybe the B doesn't have one? Can anyone confirm?

Doog.

 

[Alan.D]

There isn't any on mine either. Unless you drained the block it holds quite a bit of coolant far more than .2 of a litre so I wouldn't worry.

 

[superspotter]

Might be stating the obvious to you but just in case..........run the engine with the reservoir cap off until up to temperature. That and the bleed nipple on the front pipe should get rid of any trapped air Also, have the heater on full so as to include the heater matrix in the process

 

[doogal]

Thanks. I did try all of the above - i.e. up to temp with rad cap off, open nipple on the top of the radiator (which did let out some air plus some coolant) & I had the heater on full hot throughout. So on the face of it I've done all the right things. I'm just a little suspicious 'cos the temp gauge won't go above 1/4 and the air from the heater is warm rather than hot.

Will try again this evening. Maybe if I take it for a run around the block?

Doog.

 

[superspotter]

Im sure you wll find it is better after a run, if I sit in my transit with the heater on and just idling for a long time, the heater goes tepid but as soon as I rewv up it goes all toasty again

 

[Alan.D]

Doogal the temp gauge in the barchetta never goes above the 1/4 unless in very heavy traffic and stopped for a while when the car is warm. As already said she needs a run for a few miles to settle in as the higher revs will circulate the coolant much quicker and hopefully rid the system of any air.

 

[doogal]

Thanks, guys. More success tonight. Got the car up to temperature, heater blowing hot. I even got the temp gauge to 1/2 and fans on by turning the heater to cold.

Here is gratuitous "Christine" shot of the B - first time out of the garage in about 3 months. The mist is 50/50 Paraflu mix evaporating off the rad (spillage from when I opened the bleed valve)



Next steps - refit the old kn@ckered bumper, adjust clutch pedal, refit wheelarch liners. Then run it for a couple of weeks until it's time to get some bodywork done (respray time including finally fitting new bumper), change the oil and get an MOT for the summer.

Cheers
Doog.

 

[Alan.D]

Doogal be very carefull where you get the bumper from. I bought one from ebay.de and it was flimsy cheap tat so buy an original used or new from Fiat.

Love the pic BTW

 

[doogal]

Alan - I already have the bumper. It's off a scrapper that was on eBay about 12 months ago - fire damaged S reg black car. I think it's the original one for that car. Obviously I need it spraying silver before it goes on the car. Probably as part of a complete respray (tidy up the rust, dents, etc).

Cheers
Doog.

 

[Alan.D]

That's good

 

[BILL33]

Doogal the temp gauge in the barchetta never goes above the 1/4 unless in very heavy traffic and stopped for a while when the car is warm.

Today i noticed that i go over 1/4 and close to 1/2,its not a very hot day (not more than 18C-20C ambient temp).The fans start to work when the temp is much over the 1/2 of the gauge(a little up from the box) and drop the temp just below 1/2.Until yesterday i was always near 1/4 and close to 1/2 on trafic.The water tank is clear of oil,and the oil stick is clear of water.I can only think of the thermostat.But the normaly stuck open and not close,dont they?
Any ideas?


And i have a very long trip this week :bang:

 

[Alan.D]

If the heating produces cold air whilst the setting is hot and it takes a long time to start to overheat in traffic it's stuck open, if the car starts to overheat quickly and you get hot air in the hot setting it's stuck closed.

 

[BILL33]

Yesterday i drove her very hard to see what will happen(up and down a mountain).The temp went a little over the 70c box.This morning i turn the ignition key (not start the engine just the oil and battery lights on) and i see the needle move a little from the pin!!I am sure this didnt happend before.Am i wrong?Can anynone verify it from his Barchetta?

 

[alexces]

Might be stating the obvious to you but just in case..........run the engine with the reservoir cap off until up to temperature. That and the bleed nipple on the front pipe should get rid of any trapped air Also, have the heater on full so as to include the heater matrix in the process

Hello,

I did all this but after driving 10 km, the level went a lil down, i guess the air went out. Should i bleed the system again?

On the collant tank, behind, there's a horizontal pipe. I should see the coolant getting in the tank from that pipe?

thanks