Our 2013 500 lounge had a new cambelt and water pump pre purchase. As per other posts on the forum, the coolant level sits just on minimum but never drops. If I top it up to the max level, it just goes back to the same point. No leaks are apparent. Before going back under the warranty, I propose to try to bleed any trapped air out. Could you confirm that the attached pictures are of the 2 bleed valves please?
Technical Cooling system bleed points
- Thread starter MOOKEV
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Technical Cooling system bleed points
VonNickstein
Member
Yes, I've used the valve on the second picture to bleed the entire system.
Hi - see this thread
https://www.fiatforum.com/posts/4622620/
Are you getting odd sounds from behind the dash? Is your heater working OK?
Nick
https://www.fiatforum.com/posts/4622620/
Are you getting odd sounds from behind the dash? Is your heater working OK?
Nick
I would just keep "MAX"ing the fluid level until it stops dropping. There's probably some air still in the system and having a higher level in the radiatore/expansion tank makes it easier for the air to be purged out.
The official procedure posted above basically amounts to "check the level and then drive it around a bit", so that the air has a chance to be purged. It's maybe more crucial if you have drained the whole system and just refilled it.. but your heater works and your level is visible, so you just need to stabilise it.
The second bleed valve is the more important one, since it's higher.. and air within the system tends to rise. With the (cold) engine on a fast idle (so it's pushing the coolant through the hose under a bit of pressure), just unscrew it until coolant comes out, and then tighten it.. job's a good 'un.
The one on the radiatore is only needed if the radiatore is drained.. you can try unscrewing it slightly but I'm expecting you will only get coolant coming out, no air. If you do nothing except just keep topping it up, you'll end up with a stable level .. it may just take a while.. so it's not too severe.
Ralf S.
The official procedure posted above basically amounts to "check the level and then drive it around a bit", so that the air has a chance to be purged. It's maybe more crucial if you have drained the whole system and just refilled it.. but your heater works and your level is visible, so you just need to stabilise it.
The second bleed valve is the more important one, since it's higher.. and air within the system tends to rise. With the (cold) engine on a fast idle (so it's pushing the coolant through the hose under a bit of pressure), just unscrew it until coolant comes out, and then tighten it.. job's a good 'un.
The one on the radiatore is only needed if the radiatore is drained.. you can try unscrewing it slightly but I'm expecting you will only get coolant coming out, no air. If you do nothing except just keep topping it up, you'll end up with a stable level .. it may just take a while.. so it's not too severe.
Ralf S.
Cheers for the reply. I will follow your advice and hopefully it will stabilise. Nervous of undoing bleed screws too soon due to stories of them snapping.
The screw is nylon and tends to snap off its head, leaving the shank inside the hose... however the sealing o-ring is attached to the head, so it then leaks.
New screws are also predictably tricky to find in the right size, although being plastic the snapped off part is are at least fairly easy to remove. I would avoid unscrewing it for now.. wait till the weather's warmer in case it decides it's not having it..
Ralf S.
New screws are also predictably tricky to find in the right size, although being plastic the snapped off part is are at least fairly easy to remove. I would avoid unscrewing it for now.. wait till the weather's warmer in case it decides it's not having it..
Ralf S.
Good call. Purging using the bleed screws is at best a hit or miss affair and they are easily broken, especially when no longer new.
Fortunately the system will self purge if you keep topping up to the max line when the engine is cold. If it still keeps dropping, you've either got a leak (sadly quite common), or the pressure cap has failed (which is unlikely). If you ever have to change a thermostat or water pump and the coolant is still within its working life, I'd suggest you syphon it out via the expansion tank at the side of the radiator. That way, apart from not risking breaking any one of a number of known to be fragile fittings, you'll know exactly how much coolant you need to put back in. You generally won't get it all back on the first attempt, even with all the bleeds open.
There was a suggestion that a plastic number plate screw was the same size with a o ring on it not sure if this is correct.The screw is nylon and tends to snap off its head, leaving the shank inside the hose... however the sealing o-ring is attached to the head, so it then leaks.
New screws are also predictably tricky to find in the right size, although being plastic the snapped off part is are at least fairly easy to remove. I would avoid unscrewing it for now.. wait till the weather's warmer in case it decides it's not having it..
Ralf S.
Somebody mentioned pressure caps - the click-stop type used on 500s and many other Fiats do fail, though you'll see a trail of residue down the neck of the expansion tank in that case. Or listen for a gentle hiss at the cap when you switch off the engine when it is hot. Leaks from the thermostat housing also quite common though more on the larger Pratola engines than the FIREs.
I’m in a similar predicament, on the morning of my MOT last week I did the usual checks and the coolant was a little low, topped up and thought all was well.
Come the MOT it was pointed out that the coolant was on minimum!
He pointed to the bleed valve as the culprit, the head had snapped off!
I managed to get the broken bit out and replaced it with a suitably sized 6mm Allen bolt (1mm pitch) together with an O ring this seemed to give a tight fit.
However I have had to top up from minimum 4 times!!
when the engine is cold and running the level doesn’t budge, there are no visible leaks either in the engine bay or inside the car around the heater.
I’d never used the bleed screw before but to get rid of any air, I overfilled the reservoir, removed my new screw to see water coming out, replaced the screw and drew off the excess fluid from the res to maximum.
The level has dropped again!
Help! Where is it going, is it still an air lock? The car performs well so I don’t think the head gasket has gone and the rocker box looks ok, no milk.
Help please!
Come the MOT it was pointed out that the coolant was on minimum!
He pointed to the bleed valve as the culprit, the head had snapped off!
I managed to get the broken bit out and replaced it with a suitably sized 6mm Allen bolt (1mm pitch) together with an O ring this seemed to give a tight fit.
However I have had to top up from minimum 4 times!!
when the engine is cold and running the level doesn’t budge, there are no visible leaks either in the engine bay or inside the car around the heater.
I’d never used the bleed screw before but to get rid of any air, I overfilled the reservoir, removed my new screw to see water coming out, replaced the screw and drew off the excess fluid from the res to maximum.
The level has dropped again!
Help! Where is it going, is it still an air lock? The car performs well so I don’t think the head gasket has gone and the rocker box looks ok, no milk.
Help please!
@Markylee . For correct procedure from fiat manual Look here
http://4cardata.info/elearn/312/2/312000000/312000000/312000003/312000484
http://4cardata.info/elearn/312/2/312000000/312000000/312000003/312000484
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the last time I had an issue with my coolant was last autumn
Mine started going higher than max .. not much but I just thought EH!! That and very slight crusting on the thermostat
So I decided to swap my thermostat..while the system was empty I figured id just check my heater matrix… good job I did!
There was no leaking nothing actually ..but pink crusting on the corners
Now this may in no way be part of your predicament but as the system only works if it’s perfectly pressurised and there may be a “chance” air is getting in its worth a check!
If it’s ok then it’s ok and at least you know
I had no issues … I had heat my car wasn’t overheating no water sounds behind the dash
I “just knew” something was off!
As previously having a head gasket issue due to air in my system I’m all too familiar & these days I check my fluids every couple of days!
Mine started going higher than max .. not much but I just thought EH!! That and very slight crusting on the thermostat
So I decided to swap my thermostat..while the system was empty I figured id just check my heater matrix… good job I did!
There was no leaking nothing actually ..but pink crusting on the corners
Now this may in no way be part of your predicament but as the system only works if it’s perfectly pressurised and there may be a “chance” air is getting in its worth a check!
If it’s ok then it’s ok and at least you know
I had no issues … I had heat my car wasn’t overheating no water sounds behind the dash
I “just knew” something was off!
As previously having a head gasket issue due to air in my system I’m all too familiar & these days I check my fluids every couple of days!
Thanks for the heads up!
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