How to never bleed your Ka's coolant system ever again

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480sx
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Pour slowly. Thats it. I have done this 4 times and every time iv done it iv never had any problems with air getting trapped in the system. I spend about 6-10 min pouring the coolant into the rad. Beats the hell out of spending 30 min while your car is overheating screwing with a jack and all the BS that usually follows changing the Ka's coolant.

Step by step.---Coolant out of the motor---1- Remove your bleeder valve on the intake manifold.

2- Spend 10 min pouring the coolant slowly into the radiator(funnels ftw). Take small breaks after 20-30 seconds of continual slow pouring.

3- Keep pouring until a little coolant starts to flow out of the bleeder port. Stop at this point, and get ready to put your bleeder bolt back in. Put enough coolant in the funnel to create a steady stream of coolant coming out of the bleeder valve for as long as it takes you to screw the bolt back in. If you do it right you should still have some coolant thats backed up in the funnel, i use a funnel that fits inside the water neck to the radiator.

4- Top off the fluid in the radiator, then put the cap back on.

5- Start car and drive.


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PapaSmurf2k3
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funny, that is always how I have done it... which is probably why I can't see why everyone else was having problems getting it bled. I've never screwed around with any jacks or anything trying to get it bled.

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480sx
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Yep, its kinda like auto tech 101 kinda stuff really but most engines are much more forgiving in that department than the Ka so i suppose its not common knowledge.

I know the first time that i did the Ka's coolant system it was a nightmare because i didnt know either. Never made that mistake again.

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Razi
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Yes!Thank you so much.Great timing.

I'm was going to drain my coolant and put in new fluid this week, this will come in handy

NizzmoS13
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Yaa hopefully this will help me out, right now my coolant system is fighting me, 4th times a charm!!

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sultan
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i've changed rad hoses, thermostats, etc on my 240's and i have never opened the bleeder screw. ever. never had a problem with air in the system, i can't understand why people have problems.

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hannibal
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I dont remember what I did when I installed a Koyo on my KA. But when I had to change the radiator on my Integra, I used the pour slowly method. I did have the front of the car on jack stands at the time.

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eazye2000
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It really isn't rocket science. Any car that comes with a bleeder screw/valve, should be used. They didn't put it there for no absolute reason.

The pouring slowly method works well because air can pass up, and out of the engine better than thick(er) water/coolant. Thus, filling your motor from the bottom(radiator).

Just think, water will flow to the lowest point first. You are filling the radiator, the lower hose, and then the engine. When you blast in fluid and kill the flow of air out of the upper hose(bleeder area), you wont have any point for the air to escape.

...don't make me bust out MS Paint

vancouverbc
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Interesting stuff. Btw, is it a myth that you have to turn the interior heater on when bleeding? It's my understanding that the water always flows through heater core so turning on heater doesnt apply for the 240sx.

Also, people say to squeeze the rad hose to get air out but does that just suck air in or push air deeper into the system?


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480sx
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The heater core thing is true for some vehicles. As a safety measure its done on just about every car when bleeding, not really a myth.

Squeezing the rad hose does little to nothing hehe. The air gets trapped in the block in the coolant passages. Also by the T-Stat.

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onosqv
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480sx wrote:Squeezing the rad hose does little to nothing hehe. The air gets trapped in the block in the coolant passages. Also by the T-Stat.
Works great for me... of course, I have a coolant bleeder kit - that stuff works the best, you can see every little bubble float out & you don't reintroduce air into the system.

kaze88
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will air get trapped in the upper radiator hose?i unsuccessfully bled the coolant which i just put in, do i have to drain and waste my coolant if i want to bleed it properly?

vancouverbc
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kaze88 wrote:will air get trapped in the upper radiator hose?i unsuccessfully bled the coolant which i just put in, do i have to drain and waste my coolant if i want to bleed it properly?
no , just park on hill and run engine with rad cap and relief valve open.

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480sx
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The air gets trapped in the block between the coolant galleys that run down number 1,2, and 3 cylinder against the head gasket. If you fill it slow, air has time to escape those galleys.

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Razi
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I took your advice and I never had to run the car to bleed anything.I've already flushed/filled it twice, once before and once after I installed the Koyo radiator.

I run steadily around 180 in city driving and a hair higher than that during a long freeway drive. I don't overheat.

Yay for 480sx!

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WDRacing
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I've never used a bleed plug in my life....not that Nate's method is wrong. I just add a jug of antifreeze and use a hose that I have that fits inside the rad neck. Run slow...detail wheels...something so as to stay in the area. When it overflows, shut it off. That alone should insure you don't overheat. But it still requires a top off after the engine reaches operating temp. But only one...This whole having to keep adding fluid thing has always stumped me. I have never had a problem with this.

That's just how I do it. Please don't follow in my path because I don't want to be responsible for the retard that does this, fills it to fast and takes the car drifting.

WD

kaze88
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sorry for another question, but is it necessary to drain the coolant completely dry? i've already tried to loosen the drain plug on the block from under the car, but there's not enough space. so can i just drain from the radiator plug and the lower rad. hose, then fill it slowly from there?

vancouverbc
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http://img377.imageshack.us/my...2.jpg

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kaze88 wrote:sorry for another question, but is it necessary to drain the coolant completely dry? i've already tried to loosen the drain plug on the block from under the car, but there's not enough space. so can i just drain from the radiator plug and the lower rad. hose, then fill it slowly from there?
use 6 inch extension from top

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ghostchild316
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I have a GReddy radiator breather tank.It makes life so much easier.

Just fill up,drive,then top off

done

sandovalmaxx
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where is the bleed port?

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Razi
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The bleed port is on the intake manifold, to the right of the upper coolant outlet.


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