Changed out radiator now cant get coolant to drip out of bleeder!

[p10socal]

So i replaced my radiator. I filled the radiator with 1 gallon of 50/50 and as I was watching the bleeder plug to start seeping with coolant the radiator stopped accepting coolant b4 the bleeder started seeping. Im so confused. I started the car with the temp all the way to hot with fan setting on # 4. Idled for a good 8 mins and the car wasnt blowing a hot as usual. I suspect there is air in my system or some how I f'ed up the t stat.....Im all bummed out!

bleeder that i disconnected

[MrFancypants]

Tstat should be fine. You need to make sure you keep filling the radiator until coolant comes out the bleeder hole.

Then start the car with the radiator cap off. Let it idle for several minutes and burp the system by squeezing the inlet hose. If the level drops, top it off with more distilled water. Keep doing that for a good 5-10 min, then put the cap on.

If the motor doesnt get warm the tstat could be stuck open, but I dont see how that would suddenly happen just by changing the radiator. If you have air in your system that normally leads to overheating, not underheating. I suspect you either didnt let it warm up long enough or your tstat is stuck open. Did the fans ever come on?


- Greg -

[p10socal]

I did idle the car for a good 10 mins again. heres what happened:
1. No fans turned on (just to be sure that it worked i turned on the Defrosters and it worked)
2. I noticed that the top radiator hose was hot and the lower hose wasnt all that hot, but after the car was off thats when the lower hose became warm-hot.
3.fluids were topped off. I squeezed both hoses to release some air, but still coolant topped off and no fluid coming out of bleeder.

Should i change out the t stat...

Thanks

[jjacob]

As I recall, the thermostat has a bleed hole that must be installed facing up. Also, make sure that you did not install the thermostat backwards. If this is the original thermostat, then you might as well replace it if you are going to open up the thermostat housing. Thermostats are cheap. Make sure to install it the correct way around, and that the bleed hole is facing up.

[MrFancypants]

I suppose your radiator outlet hose may be plugged too? Try draining your coolant, removing it and checking it out. Good time to pop the tstat cover and make sure the tstat is installed correctly and not plugged.


- Greg -

[Yahnozha]

you gotta remove that bleeder screw completely, not just loosen it.

[MrFancypants]

P@'s a ... you dont have to remove it completely -- it will leak air and coolant if it is just loosened a couple turns. It just leaks faster with the screw out, obviously. I guess P@ just likes to see a good pee stream rather than a trickle.


- Greg -

[P10 WRC]

There is also an air bleeder nipple close to the Firewall that you have to remove and bleed air out of the system too.....if you have a fsm it will show you how to do it.

[MrFancypants]

Originally Posted by P10 WRC

There is also an air bleeder nipple close to the Firewall that you have to remove and bleed air out of the system too.....if you have a fsm it will show you how to do it.

You said "nipple".. hehehe... heh.. hehe

But yeah I didnt notice he has a highport so he has the bonus nipple. Lowport owners only get the one nipple.


- Greg -

[p10socal]

nipples are always a plus...

But I took that pic from a Classic se-r the bleeder on my p10 is on the left side of the thermostat housing...there is even freaken arrow pointing to it..oh well car is back to a champ...thanks guys!

[Yahnozha]

Originally Posted by MrFancypants

I guess P@ just likes to see a good pee stream rather than a trickle.

and who doesnt?

[Koojo]

This is an old post but I'm getting code P1126, so it's time for a new thermostat. The second bleeder valve, is that only for P10's? I'm looking at the 00 FSM, and on page 14 of the Maintenance section where it tells you how to refill the coolant, it only talks about the one bleeder valve (air relief plug) that's right near the thermostat, on the coolant inlet. There's one more??

[GDub26]

theres one on the back by the firewall..though i didnt see one on my 93, my 92 has it..its hard to miss..

[MrFancypants]

Originally Posted by Koojo

The second bleeder valve, is that only for P10's?

I think it even goes one further... only highport P10's have the second bleeder. All youve got is the one on your tstat (and it's enough to do the job).



- Greg -

[Koojo]

Cool cool. I popped the hood and gave the radiator hose that attaches to the tstat about 10 squeezes and I could hear the tstat open and close. I cleared the code, drove on the interstate for more than 10min above 55mph as the FSM states, and the code has not yet come back. I'm guessing it was just stuck, because the car has been sitting in the garage for almost 7months w/o being driven.

[Greenless]

Originally Posted by Koojo

This is an old post but I'm getting code P1126, so it's time for a new thermostat.

its an even older post now... but i have that code and the code reader said something about air fuel ratio, and the autozone guy said its either the maf iacv or an o2 sensor which is what i thought before i went to AZ. but everyone says t-stat on here... is that what i should do

[Koojo]

It's that exact same code??? That code never came back on my car.

[Greenless]

pretty sure that was what it was. the guy wasn't too bright that was reading the code(it took him 3 tries to get the meter to interface with the ECU), and im pretty sure thats what i read over his shoulder. p1126

if p1126 is t-stat what is the code for the maf? (is it something i could have mistaken to be p1126)

[Koojo]

Have you tried doing what I did? Squeeze the upper radiator hose like 10 times...maybe it's just stuck. That was the deal with my case.

[Greenless]

its late now, and i work tomorrow. the car runs fine just rpms are high when it starts and when im at the first couple stops on my way to work then it settles down(opposite of what it did when i got it before i cleaned the maf about 3 weeks before the ses came on). Also my mpg dropped about 3 mpg since the ses came on