[VZ] VZ VE VF Alloytec Cooling System Repairs

[Fu Manchu]

Helpful basic overview:

The following is for both VZ and VE and VF Alloytec motors.
The first part of this is on my VZ.


Opened the bonnet only to discover a fine line of pink spray from the dry red coolant, all across the engine bay. Lucky to catch it before it let go all together, and no doubt at an inconvenient moment.

So water pump gets replaced.

Chapter 1
The Water Pump

I always get together a couple of tubs and ziplock bags to put parts in as I go. Can’t stand leaving stuff laying around.

These are really good. If ever there is one time you go into Ikea, it's to get one of these. $40!
Cheap as for what it is.

Do the job well, so at least clean all the bits you remove. In this case, bolts get a clean and the pulley gets a clean. Clean out the threads with silicone spray.

Avoid putting coolant covered parts back on.
We all can pay for people to do this job and expect that. Let’s do it better.

• Remove the top radiator cover. Flick out the plastic clips.

• Remove the intake tube from the filter box and throttle body.
Use a 7mm socket.

• loosen off the 4 10mm bolts holding the pulley to the water pump.
* You can stick a screw driver through one of the holes to lock it up to undo them, but easier the break the tension on the bolts when the drive belt is still on.

• Release the drive belt. I use a 1/2” breaker bar. It slots into the square notch on the belt tensioner.

* Good chance to check for any play in the accessory bearings. The tensioner idler pulley won’t spin as free as the smaller one under it. That is normal.

• Remove the coolant cap.
*Take a look at the seals for good condition.

I got a new one from a Holden for about $30.
They are now all rated to 140.
Old ones will be 120.
In my case, the seal is buggered.

Next:
• Get a bunch of low trays or buckets to catch the coolant.
*They need to fit under the car.
I used some 5ltr trays.

• Undo the drain plug on the bottom corner on the passenger side.
(Just above the trays in the picture.)

* You don’t need to let all the coolant out, unless you also do a flush.
That requires a bit more work, not covered here.

Mine was in great condition.

*The fricken water pump is held on with 10mm bolts.
* Use a short extension on the ratchet to reach them easy.
(I use my Ryobi 18v driver. Takes seconds to do.)

Then give the pump a shove, pull, tap with a rubber mallet and swear at it.
It will come away.

*It’s going to be leaking (most likely) from a welch plug that is a brilliant bit of designed obsolescence. Fk you every parts manufacturer ever. fk you.

Next:
• That crap needs to be cleaned off the surface.
I used a scraper very carefully.
Then stuffed some paper towel in the holes and used sandpaper to clean the rest
off.
* Don’t dig the scraper into the metal.

• Get the surface dry which can be hard when coolant dribbles out.
(I did this job with the car tilted back down the drive.)

• Apply RTV blue gasket maker thinly to the new water pump.
Smear it with your finger. (I use gloves doing this so as not to ruin my nails)
Stick on the gasket that comes with the pump.
Then smear a light amount on the gasket.
* You don’t want chunks of this **** getting inside the heads or thermostat etc.

• Dry the surface again with paper towel.

• Fit the pump. (It only goes one way.)

• Grab the 10mm bolts and tighten up "hand tight".
* Don't be a muppet! You aren’t putting on wheel nuts, so go easy on the bolts.
* Torque setting is only 10nM.

 

[Fu Manchu]

VT-VZ Heater Tap

Then I had also replace the heater tap.

Pull off the vacuum hose from the end of the heater tap.

Use vice-grips on the pressure clamps and wiggle them off the heater tap.
(Not on VE-VF)

Pull out the heater tap by pulling and twisting it.

Installing the new one is a reversal of the removal process.

I lined up the clamps into the pressure marks on the heater hose.

Of note, the tap doesn’t totally shut off the flow. It will allow a tiny bit through.
The vacuum action from hot to cold is slow.

 

[Fu Manchu]

VZ-VF Engine Coolant Sensor

I also took the opportunity to replace the coolant sensor. This piece of crap can bugger up a few functions, it’s easy to change without coolant in the system.

• You need a deep set 19mm socket.
*Torque to 22nM.

I got mine through Holden ($60).
* Of note is that the VE and VZ Alloytec motors share the same part.
So the part number is in the picture.

Of interest, this is a Bosch sensor. Now you can get cheapo ones but while ringing around, either Repco or Supercrap said they could get a Bosch sensor for $40. The part number is 0280130122 to order one for you if you have time up your sleeve .

When I called back (I forgot who said they could get the Bosch one) neither said they could source it. So, off to Holden for that.

The old one

 

[Fu Manchu]

Coolant & Filling Coolant

Next job was to fill the system again. I used this coolant last time so using again to match it up.

*Just use the blingin’ red coolant* Don’t mix colours or types. It doesn’t end well for you. Make sure you use the type specified by Holden.

This is a concentrate. Dilute 50:50 with demineralised water. Don’t use tap water!

I use a watering can to do this. It’s only used for this task. I don’t water the garden with it. It has marks on it for measuring. I made up 6ltrs. Easy to pour. easy to see levels. Cheap.

• Undo the bleed screw.
* I normally don’t bother doing this anymore but it upsets people, so here it is.

• Then I shove in my filler container. (More on this later)

*Edit: I no longer use this because coolant air bleed kits are now extremely affordable. They will still cost $100plus from auto stores but eBay has loads of them and they are the same as those sold in auto stores. Cost around $30. Search eBay “Coolant Funnel Kit” and you’ll find plenty. Will be one of the handiest things you get for the car.

*Close off the drain plug! Tighten it firmly by hand.

• Fold over the drain tube and pinch it off.
I use a cable tie, but vice-grips or hose clamps would do it too if you were gentle.

• Fill it slowly until is pours out the bleedin’ bleed hole.

• Replace the bleed screw.
* Don’t go nuts tightening it. It’s just plastic. Firm but not too firm.

 

[Fu Manchu]

The Ghetto Bleed Container.

This is my home made ghetto air bleed container.
You can buy proper ones from the Amazons or eBays. $60? Not for me.
I have used this method since the mid 90's.

It uses a Holman hose joiner in it from Bunnings. It won’t melt. You find it in the retic aisle. Hose clamps are also with it.
Shove it over the cap thread.
Attach the hose clamp.

Cut the bottom off the container.

Trim the joiner down a bit to fit into the filler hole a bit easier. I also used this in my VP so this bleed method is relative to VN-VF.

You can see in the below post how it fits. It’s firm enough, you don’t need to hold it, but stay close incase. It's sensible to do that.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Bleeding The Cooling System

Then fill the system. Have some as a reserve. Start the car and idle it.

This takes about 20-30mins to be done well.

This process does not pressurise the system and will bleed out an amazing amount of air. This is demonstrated by the amount that finds it’s way out even after using the bleed screw (which I did this time to prove a point)

Once you think all is good, put a thick glove on (It's flippin' hot) and give the radiator hose a bunch of good squeezes. This can force out a fair bit of air as well.
I spend a few minutes doing this with the car off. Have some premix coolant handy because if an air lock lets go, the level drops fast and you don't want air back in there.

When satisfied its good enough:
• Switch off the engine.

• Remove the container.
*Yeah, heaps of coolant goes everywhere. (I use a bung but its not so good.) You syphon out the coolant or scoop it out with a cup.

• Top up the coolant in the filler to the top edge.

• Replace the cap.

• Hose down the engine bay with a soft flow of water to rinse out any coolant.

Edit:
Vacuum filling requires no bleeding and confirms the systems integrity under vacuum. These kits connect to your compressor.

 

[Fu Manchu]

The Air Bleeding Process

Video links (Sorry can't embed)

*In VZ, heater needs to be set to hot!
*All videos need the sound icon to be toggled to activate it.

A bit rough on first start:
https://imgur.com/a/pRF4BNz

10 mins later:
https://imgur.com/a/2DWGUvw

20mins later, still getting air out after the thermostat opened.
https://imgur.com/a/IelacuR

All done. Idles so well with new sensor.
Glass on the intake manifold gives a good idea of the idle.
(Alkoomi Frankland River 2017 Chardonnay for those wondering)
https://imgur.com/a/Bdzlf0q

Point made about bleeding these systems. Air bleed screw does not get the air out. It gets a fair bit out but doesn't address the rest of the system, only the radiator.

After doing the bleed screw, there was still about 1.5 ltrs of air trapped in the system. How did I work that out? Because as the air bleeds out, coolant goes in. I added about 1.5ltrs as the bleed process progressed.

The system still works if this method is not used. Yes of course it will. I get that. However the less air in there at all, the longer things work well and the better the system cools.

Using a vacuum fill is a far better way to fill a cooling system, and fast, as well as test its integrity prior to filling. However in the interests of ghetto repairs, this is the shizz.

 

[Fu Manchu]

This is what we need on this hot day. I need to do this but I can see I have a leak coming from the water inlet manifold

That is next in this thread. About to do the VE because I should have replaced it when I did all the work on the car a few months back. It’s all corroded in the cap inlet and cap won’t seal, leading to leaks.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Coolant Filler Pipe/ Outlet Housing

This has been done on the VE. Almost the same on VZ.

What a mess.

Flick out the clip on the throttle body plug. It's the grey bit.
There's a tab under there you press down and releases the plug.

Disconnect the MAF and the intake pipe. Cover your MAF with a plastic bag. Keeps your MAF clean and free of any contamination. Make sure the bag is clean. A good chance to give that MAF a good clean before you cover it.

Remove all the vacuum lines from the upper intake manifold.

On the LY7 motors, there's a plug on the back for the variable airflow motor. This can only be found by feel and you can see the tab you push down (on the very outer bit) to release the plug. It can be tricky.

Remove the Upper Intake Manifold after removing the bolts (including the one at the back on the drivers side. (It's a bit hidden)

Cheapo cap failed. (fitted by my mechanic) after the new factory one I fitted broke.

This housing is ok in some people's books. Not in mine.
Since owning this car at 2years old, there has been issues around this part.
When I bought it, it was leaking from the top hose in the above photo.
I used a worm drive hose clamp, which failed to fix a slow leak.
The housing was corroded and never really did the job.

11 years later...

Recently had the chance to replace this part during some recent work, and foolishly didn't. I cleaned it up as best i could carefully with a wire brush, so here I am doing it all again.
I feel the cap is not able to get a good seal in the housing.

Once everything is off, cover the inlet ports. I normally use tape, but this did the job as well.

To get to the two bolts, you need to set the loom free. Lever it out with a flat blade screw driver from under the push fit clip shown.

You use a 10mm socket to undo the two bolts holding the housing on.

Check the replacement part. I chipped off this burr that would find its way into the cooling system at some point.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Mother $&@!ing VE VF Coolant Sensor.

Holy Sht. Same motor pretty much but the job on a VE VF can eat a d$&@.
Involved blood, sweat and some tears, and a mental health day required.

If you know some kid that cleans chimneys and is kind of handy, use their tiny hands for this c of job.

* The sensor is in the same place, but in the VE the position of the engine means this sensor requires tiny hands.

* In series 1 VE, the aircon lines are set inside the insulation on the HVAC intake, and there is even less room. I converted mine to series two ac set up and had some room to do this.

*** If you are short tempered, or want to make this as easy as possible, remove a few things. This way you wont crack the shts and break something. ***

Have a quick go first incase you get lucky. Then go outside and try to see if you can get to the sensor plug ok.

• Release the air intake for the HVAC. Good chance to change or put in a cabin filter.
Remove the insulation and heat shield on the intake box. (not the exhaust)

• Undo the 10mm bolt holding the dip stick in. (Luckily I was screwed.)
Undoing the dipstick bolt gives enough play so you can get in there easier. (unless you have child hands)

On mine, the sensor plug was more fragile than a Scott Morrison handshake.

* I spent two hours trying to release the tab on what took seconds on the VZ. My fingers and thumb just didn't get into the space enough. I had cuts and blood all over my hand and arm.
The position of the tab will vary from car to car depending on where in the thread it torqued up.

I gave up. The plug was coming away in brittle bits and I didn't want to break it all together. DO NOT PULL THE WIRES! That will open a dark, dark rabbit hole of woes and misery...

Life is busy and this job waits. Then...

I get home from work, pop the bonnet, reach in and jag a hand position I couldn't do before. I also managed to get to the sensor. First go, popped the tab, and off came the plug. Well bugger me!

The plug is worse for wear, but still usable.

These can be replaced and are available on the eBays. You can see the tab on the top that releases the plug. ~$20. This will be a job for me... later.
*If you know how to disassemble these plugs, let me know.

Once that's off, and the entire car has been dismantled to get to it, the sensor comes out fairly easily.
I used this...

Undo it, replace with the new one (as shown previous) and torque to 22Nm.
Here's the old one...

I hosed out the exhaust manifold incase brittle plastic from the plug had got stuck in there.

• Follow the air bleed process the same as mentioned previous.

*On the VE and VF, there's no bleed screw. They have an air bleed hose from the top left of the radiator that leads to the coolant inlet housing.

*Don't forget to block off the reservoir tube.

This time I put almost 2ltrs of fluid in to replace the air that was bled out.

Hope this helps someone.