Filling Cooling System

D

d c *mac* macdonald

New member
Nov 22, 2009
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I know that I have seen info on a means to totally fill the coolant system, but that was quite awhile back. My second episode with lack of cooling and subsequent knocking engine MAY have been caused by a leaking "freeze" plug. That has been corrected and my oil sample to Blackstone has been analyzed and reported as only a mild elevation in copper (32 ppm vs universal average of 24 ppm) and lead (54 ppm vs 39 ppm universal average). Neither was rated as excessive. No fuel, coolant, or moisture in the oil, either. Their statement was, "Overall, this is a good report."

I'd say that this says that I maybe or probably don't need an engine replacement. YIPPEE !

If I can get cooling system properly filled, I believe we will take the Money Pit out for a weekend at a nearby campground.

D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com
 
Mac,

Most mechanic's shops need to completely fill 'closed' cooling systems that are common on many later model cars. They typically use a vacuum system
similar to evacuating an air conditioning system. You should be able to find someone locally who can perform this operation for you.

The old fashioned way is to fill the radiator and the coolant overflow reservoir, start the engine and bring it up to operating temperature, shut it
off and let it cool down. The system will suck coolant out of the reservoir to fill the system. Repeat the above procedure until the reservoir level
stabilizes.

Not to discourage you, but an overheated engine will often crack heads. Hopefully that did NOT happen to yours. If it did, a competent shop can do a
top end job for you. Expect to pay somewhere around $3,000.00 to replace the heads.
--
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles,
Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
 
If you have an OEM water pump or a replacement water pump with at least a 4" impeller, refilling the cooling system is a no brainer.

I went out a couple of weeks ago to help a GMCer that blew a heater hose. While I was enroute the owner repaired the leak and obtained 3 gallons of
replacement antifreeze. When I got there we filled the radiator and overflow bottle to the correct levels, warmed up the engine with the cap loose,
and topped off the radiator. That was it. The heater hoses were hot so the heater was filled, and the owner drove away. I talked to the owner a
week or so later and was told that the overflow bottle took less than 1 pint to bring it to the correct level after driving about 1500 miles in three
days.

So fill it up, check it once after warmup, and drive it if you have the standard 4" or larger water pump.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
 
Be sure there are zero micro cracks in the overflow return hose. If it can suck any air it will not refill rafiator. Also inspect radiator cap well.
If outer seal is worn or shifted and mushed, it may not pull coollant back in. Also check the spring and action on the center poppet valve. I recently
had a poppet valve spring valve spring fail so cap would build zero pressure, even though pressure seal and spring were fine.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
Thanks for the tipoff, John.

I totally replaced the overflow bottle and tubing AND (IIRC) the radiator cap with the proper 9.0 psi rating.

D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com

________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of John R.Lebetski
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2017 17:42
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Filling Cooling System

Be sure there are zero micro cracks in the overflow return hose. If it can suck any air it will not refill radiator. Also inspect radiator cap well.
If outer seal is worn or shifted and mushed, it may not pull coolant back in. Also check the spring and action on the center poppet valve. I recently
had a poppet valve spring valve spring fail so cap would build zero pressure, even though pressure seal and spring were fine.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II

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John,
You are 100% correct in suggesting to check the condition of the system.
Too bad most do not check it and wonder why radiator level goes down and
the reservoir stays full.
Over half of the coaches that come in for service are not functioning.

On Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 4:07 PM, D C _Mac_ Macdonald
wrote:

> Thanks for the tipoff, John.
>
> I totally replaced the overflow bottle and tubing AND (IIRC) the radiator
> cap with the proper 9.0 psi rating.
>
>
> D C "Mac" Macdonald
> Amateur Radio K2GKK
> Since 30 November '53
> USAF and FAA, Retired
> Member GMCMI & Classics
> Oklahoma City, OK
> "The Money Pit"
> TZE166V101966
> '76 ex-Palm Beach
> k2gkk + hotmail dot com
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Gmclist on behalf of John
> R.Lebetski
> Sent: Friday, September 29, 2017 17:42
> To: gmclist
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Filling Cooling System
>
> Be sure there are zero micro cracks in the overflow return hose. If it can
> suck any air it will not refill radiator. Also inspect radiator cap well.
> If outer seal is worn or shifted and mushed, it may not pull coolant back
> in. Also check the spring and action on the center poppet valve. I recently
> had a poppet valve spring valve spring fail so cap would build zero
> pressure, even though pressure seal and spring were fine.
> --
> John Lebetski
> Woodstock, IL
> 77 Eleganza II
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
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> Gmclist Info Page - GMCnet mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org>
> list.gmcnet.org
> To see the collection of prior postings to the list, visit the Gmclist
> Archives. Using Gmclist: To post a message to all the list members, send
> email ...
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
 
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