Air Lift Coolant System Tool

Thats how we charge up a Refrigerant System in HVAC business ... pull a vacumn and release .. works like a charm.

What I use on Panteras is far simpler- a special funnel from Lisle Tools. This plastic funnel has a series of adapters to fit various radiator caps, and connects leak-free to any car. In practice you fill the cooling system full along with an extra quart in the funnel, then start up the engine. After a few minutes at idle, the thermostat opens and a huge bubble of air rises up, sucking in most of the funnel's extra coolant. At that point, you either add a little more water so there's some left in the funnel, then insert the provided plug, remove the funnel and put the rad cap in place, all before shutting the engine down. Works just fine for $25. Without the thermostat open, air trapped in the heads and block is unavailable to other devices.
Once most of the air is gone, periodic bleeding at the radiator eventually removes the rest. A small amount of air seems to 'dissolve' in water just like those mysterious bubbles that appear in a sealed waterbed. I bled our system as above; the next day, I got a few more bubbles out of the rad bleeder. After a 500-mile high-speed drive to 'Vegas and letting the car cool down, I got a few MORE bubbles! After that, no more air. The vac system might remove this 'extra' air.

The tool is something that might be useful next time I change the coolant in my car. Sounds like a good method Jack except I have modified my cooling system and the swirl tank has been removed. I dont think enough air comes by my fill point to work with this method.

Blaine

Bosswrench just sent a PM - looking for a part # on the funnel your talking about
thx Mike #7042

quote:

looking for a part # on the funnel your talking about

See this Amazon listing:

http://tinyurl.com/yd4y5sx

Larry

Hi wanted to say thank you for telling me & the Pantera world about this great funnel, well used it last night- follwoed instructions, had 2 minor burps and then 2 major air pockets, which overflowed in the eng. compartment -but all is good.
My temp guage stays @ 195 without fans on, have 160 degree thermostat- life is all well now- thanks again
Mike #7042

Are you sure that's a true Cleveland t-stat at 160F?

One thing I never understood (and would be happy to hear explanation on) is the rationale of running a 160F t-stat when the fans are set to turn on at 185. Plus 160 if it can be attained IMO is too cold for most engines.

On the original theme of this thread we used the Harbor Freight equivalent of the Airlift at a tech session at Mike Drew's last weekend.

Hooked it up to the compressor and it pulled a vacuum, drop the suction tube into the coolant can and let it pull coolant into the system. Repeat until system is full. Apparently Harbor Freight no longer sell them.

Julian

Ok the reason I run a 160 thermo is very simple, the 351C in the pantera engine compartment has no real air to circulate around the motor. The small block & big block Fords run very well bewtween 180-195 %, when I had the 180 thermostat the motor temp would run over 200 % usually @ 215% which is way too hot.

The temp of the radiator was running (top) was about 170%, (bottom) was about 188 %, but then the motor was @ 215%.

I had many Fords over my lifetime Race engine + stockers) and they (for me) run exceptionally well 175-195% and back in the day thats what they recommended. Im running a correct thermo for the cleveland, also my Boss 302 has 160% thermo and runs @ not hotter than 190% on days that are 100% + here, it usually runs @ 185%.

If the motors run too hot then you start to have internal problems as well pre-ignition.

So hope you understand why I run the 160% instead of 180% thermostat
thx again Mike #7042