[BrotherB]

Ok... heres the deal. Did the police oil cooler mod and got everything put back together today to fire it up and check for any leaks. Car fired right up and I ran it for about 10 min. C.E.L. came on, did key dance, came up with 2181. Did search, came up with low coolent level. Kind of figured that!
Question is this... how long does it take for the coolant tank to drain back into the block? Came up to temp and the heater isnt working. Didnt swap thermostats, didnt even take it out. Just replaced the thermostat housing with a BT one. Should I leave the cap off of the coolant tank, or should I let it build up pressure and just let it cool down on its own? Cap on or off the tank?
Any advice would greatly be appreciated. Never delt with this kind of thing before. I'm kind of old school when it come to cars and trucks. Just put antifreeze in the radiator, run car untill it gets up to temp, cool down and put more in it. Is it as simple as that with these newer cars?
Thanks again!:beerchug:
Bill

 

[Super T]

How much fluid did you lose??? Fill the tank to the max line, run the car for a while, let it cool down, check again, repeat as necessary.

 

[4t5Gunner]

Should I leave the cap off of the coolant tank, or should I let it build up pressure and just let it cool down on its own? Cap on or off the tank?

Make sure your cap is on when the T-Stat opens. Otherwise you will make a mess....

 

[BrotherB]

How much fluid did you lose??? Fill the tank to the max line, run the car for a while, let it cool down, check again, repeat as necessary.

Didnt loose any fluid at all. I drained the rad. to install the lower hose for the oil cooler. I did run the car untill it got warm, came in the house to warm up, took a nap, went back out and it had sucked it up. Put more in it and I am letting it idle as I type this.
Strange to me. I take it when the motor cools down, it must create a vacume and it sucks it out of the overflow tank? You would think that once the T-stat opens it would then suck it out of the tank, not before.
Thanks for the responce(s)!
Bill

 

[GasGunR]

If its warm, and you're very careful, you can let the air out by losening the cap and letting it vent. The T-Stat must be open... and you have to be careful not to let the cap blow off, or you'll have a mess and likely get scalded. Just let the cap up enough that you get a good bubble stream coming back intot he resevoir.

Or you can fill, run it till its hot, let it cool, fill, run it till its hot, let it cool, fill and so on.

Don

 

[BrotherB]

Or you can fill, run it till its hot, let it cool, fill, run it till its hot, let it cool, fill and so on.

Don

Thanks Don...
Thats basically what I have been doing. The C.E.L. has gone away now. Just seems like a big P.I.T.A. to me.
Thanks again!
Bill

 

[stevesrt8]

not recommended

the run, fill, wait, repeat method can create severe hot spots in the heads, not recommended. Unless you plan on pulling a head for mods.

There's a burp fitting. Wonder what that's for?

 

[BrotherB]

There's a burp fitting. Wonder what that's for?

There is? Where is it at?

 

[done]

There is? Where is it at?

It is the 1/4 " allen head plug just below the thermostat. Lossen it about 1/2 turn while hot and then let the engine cool down and remove the plug.

 

[BrotherB]

Well DAMN!!! I wish I would of known that yesterday. Oh-well... now I do know it! :mrgreen:

 

[2005rtmag]

The manual recommends you remove the plug, install a fitting that will accept a small hose and fill until coolant comes out. The hose is recommended because coolant on your fan belt may cause it to start squealing.
If it is like my old Mark VIII, you will need to run the engine, shut it off, and refill several times to get it completely full. The reason it is necessary on the Mark is that the refill point if below the top of the cooling passages in the engine. Therefore, you have to vent the top of the engine while running to get all the air out. Probably the same on the hemi.

 

[fnkychkn]

you may need to install a funnel to the filler neck to keep the coolant level above the highest point of the cooling system. then you can bleed it through the provided bleed plug.
this is the funnel i use: http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt1/page_2420_36

 

[BrotherB]

this is the funnel i use: http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt1/page_2420_36

Inexpensive tool, thanks Funky!!
Someone should do a write up on this and get it into the knowledge base. For one, I had no idea on how to get antifreeze back into the radiator after I had drained it for the oil cooler install. I do though have enough mechanical skills to take things apart and put them back together and I will tell ya, I was sweatin' bullets. It would of really sucked some serious a$$ if I would of warped my heads or cracked one.
Thanks for all the help, and "IF" I ever have to do this again, I will know.
Thats what these forums are all about!!! :mrgreen:
Bill