newbie VS v6 bleed question

[HRVATSKI_VOJNIK]

hey guys,
sorry but another newbie question

I'm planning to replace the water i got in the cooling system and replace it with some proper coolant.

i know what I'm post to do,
but I'm just abit unsure about bleeding the system, here are my questions;

1. do i bleed before or after i put the new coolant in?
2. when i do bleed it, do i keep the radiator cap on?
(i had it off and the water rised slowly, so straight away i screwed it back.
i drove from West suburbs to the east and there was no over heating problems.)
3. do i run the engine when bleeding? if so, will the coolant "shoot-out" the bleed hole?
4. in the manual it says it can hold 12 liters, how much can the radiator hold and how much can the overflow bottle hold

i have a V6

thanks
Kris

[hako]

1....you should be using 50/50 coolant/water although this depends on what coolant you are using but bleed after you put the new coolant in.
2.... Keep the cap on otherwise there will be no pressure build-up.
3....Run the engine....with the heater on...and its normal for coolant to shoot out of the bleed hole (after the air)
4....probably 10 to 12 litres but the coolant at the bottom of the block stays there....the most you can empty from a V6 is about 9 to 10 litres.

Sounds like you are looking after your car properly which is great!

[fuzzy2308]

welcime to j c matey.... what hako said

[rcnugget]

fill the radiator untill it wont take anymore with your 50/50 mix

undo the bleed screw

start the car with radiator cap off give it a few small blips on the accelerator ( water level will drop)

keep filling the radiator untill it starts to get warm, about 40 deg or so,

replace the radiator cap

keep running the engine with the screw loosened right off until the water starts comming out of the screw ( bubbles will come out first but wait untill it is all water, then carefully tighten the screw up so no more water comes out ( it will be hot water so be careful )

Drink beer

[Cheap6]

I've always bled them cold, engine off.

Heater on. Any setting away from full cold will open the heater tap. If the engine hasn't been fun for a few hours, sometimes the vacuum that operates the heater tap will have bled off, so start and stop the engine before you drain the coolant if there is any doubt.

1. Definitely after. No point before!

2. Radiator cap off, how else do you add coolant to replace the air/coolant that is escaping out of the bleed screw. But you need to raise the level of the coolant above the height of the bleed screw. The easiest way to do that is to make funnel by cutting the base off an old soft drink or 1l coolant bottle and wrapping electrical tape around the neck so that it fits tightly into the radiator filler neck.

3. It doesn't matter much but generally off. Coolant will "shoot out" higher with the engine running.

4. ???? If you don't undo the block plugs, you won't get all the water out after flushing anyway. Assume that it will take about 10l extra, add 6l of unmixed coolant to the system and top up any extra needed with water. If you drain it first, you can fill the overflow bottle with straight coolant and it will mix back into the system.

[HRVATSKI_VOJNIK]

thanks for the advice so far,
but which type of coolant do i use, i see that theres a type A and B
the car just clicked over 149,000k's if it helps

[hako]

The engine was designed for glycol so if you want to keep it as the factory recommends then buy the Holden coolant from the Holden agents and also the tablets that go with the coolant. They will give you exactly what is required. Cost is only a little more than aftermarket coolant. Some owners use phosphate based coolant (red) which are designed to last longer.

[HRVATSKI_VOJNIK]

The engine was designed for glycol so if you want to keep it as the factory recommends then buy the Holden coolant from the Holden agents and also the tablets that go with the coolant. They will give you exactly what is required. Cost is only a little more than aftermarket coolant. Some owners use phosphate based coolant (red) which are designed to last longer.

thanks for the advice, i'll go to the Holden dealer where my folks bought the VS some many years ago,

can i bleed the air out after the radiator won't take anymore coolent(after i started the engine, the coolent has gone down and won't take anymore)?

[rcnugget]

yes that is the idea because air gets trapped behind the bleed screw, its best to do when hot but you can do it cold as cheap6 said....

what you are trying to do is fill the system as much as you can then as the water gets hot and expands it will push the air out of the bleed screw ( because this is the highest point of the system the air will gather there) when it is loose, once water starts comming out there is no air in the system so you tighten it back up

btw my manual suggests

HN 2403 ( eg Techaloy plus+ ) coolant
10 litre total capacity
radiator cap 120-150kpa
87-90 degc thermostat

[HRVATSKI_VOJNIK]

cheers rcnugget,
you summed up what i needed to know
and i'll drink to that