Coolant level shows full... even though I dumped a TON ?

[CanuckQx4]

I dont get my car. Today when checking up on my electric fan mod. I noticed the overflow tank was full of crud and dirt on the sides of the tank, so I took it off and cleaned it, reinstalled it empty.

Earlier I seen a post about a air release plgu at the back of our engine up by the firewall and brake lines. So I started my car up from cold, overflow resevoir still empty. Popped my rad cap off and maybe 500ml of coolant spills out. woop

Then I notice the level in the rad never even went down, no bubbles or nothing, I squeezed both hoses a couple time... nothing, even had the heat blasting full in the car. Then I rememberred about that air release plug on the back of the firewall so I uncapped it and coolant GUSHED out of the rad, atleast a liter.

I capped the rap and plug as fast as I could and turned off the car.

I then popped off the rad cap again and sure as shlt, STILL FULL!!

I know at this point im low on coolant, but why wont my car accept this green goodness Ive purchased for it lol

Any help appreciated

[Chuck Tribolet]

Did you ever pull the vents? There are at least one and maybe two on an '01. Fer sure there's a rubber cap at the top middle
of the fire wall above the engine. The FSM shows another one that my stick shift '01 doesn't have, it may be just on the
automatics. It's on the front of the engine, sorta in front of the right side (US passenger's side) cylinder head. You need to
pull these to get the air out of the system.

And there's a MIN mark on the catch tank. You need to fill it with coolant to that level.

[fueler]

i dont understand. electric fan has nothing to do with coolant level (unless you drained the coolant to install the fan?)

did you mess with the coolant at all when you installed the fan?

[CanuckQx4]

I didnt have to. I was bored and the inside of the tank looked very gross so I took it off and cleaned it.

I just happen to read about that firewall air vent and wanted to top up my coolant, I ended up loosing alot after popping that vent off for some reason and now I know Im really short since so much came out. But when I open my rad cap... its full...

.... but I know it isnt full lol, I guess my old mechanic way of simply opening the cap with the engine running and topping it off til its full and a few squeezes of the hoses doesnt work anymore

[Chuck Tribolet]

I guess my old mechanic way of simply opening the cap with the engine running and topping it off til its full and a few squeezes of the hoses doesnt work anymore

Nope.

BTW: you top off with a 50:50 mix of the same coolant and distilled water.


Chuck

[CanuckQx4]

So how should I go about doing this then, should I drain it all, find this air vent on the front of the engine (I cant see it) and just refill from fresh

I dont get why my coolant started bubbling up like crazy when I pulled that rear vent on the firewall plug, I thought that was supposed to let air out not cover me in coolant lol

[Chuck Tribolet]

First you gotta remove the radiator cap, THEN pull the vents.

No need to drain it all.


Chuck

[CanuckQx4]

With the car running to cycle out all the air bubbles in the system??

I think I have air in my system as I can slightly hear waterflow coming from my heatercore I think

[Chuck Tribolet]

No. Cold. Engine off.

If there are bubbles ciruclating, they will end up in one of the high spots (where the vents are and the top of the rad)


Chuck

[CanuckQx4]

Thanks I guess Ill just keep doing it until its full or if it never gets full Ill report back lol

I did fill my overflow and top off the rad last night, but the car wasnt exactly level or even close lol

I also noticed that I have these 2 covers on the front of my engine, I believe they are the water pump cover and one a few inches over to the passenger side, both covers looked gross and all there bolts were rusty. Is it possible to just pop the covers off and wire brush/clean them and replace with new hardware.. or is there coolant/oil behind the covers..

I'll try and find a picture

EDIT: these 2 covers... my crank pulley looks nasty to!

[CanuckQx4]

bump

[CanuckQx4]

??? Id love to pull and clean those covers if ayone knows whats behind them.

I bought all new M6 hardware today

[Chuck Tribolet]

bump

I thought I said this earlier: Get some Gunk at the local auto parts store and clean the whole engine room.
If it it hasn't been done before, follow the directions with one can, do it again the next day with another
can.

If your really want to change those bolts, do it one bolt at a time, torque the new bolt to 70% of torque
spec. Use a criss-cross pattern (see FSM for recommended pattern). Then torque to 90% (same pattern),
then to 100% (same pattern). Run till hot, let cool COMPLETELY, torque to 100%, same pattern.

Chuck

[CanuckQx4]

Ive cleaned the front of the engine twice with engine gunk and wire brush/ carb cleaner. Thats a good idea I can just do one bolt at a time and I can even wire brush under each bolt as I go around

I really just wanted to pull the covers off and paint them, the metal is used n abused lookin

Thanks chuck