Hey guys I recently had my vy Calais 3.8 s/c have some overheating issues so I replaced the radiator didn't fix it the thing was it kept dumping coolant out the overflow after I'd switch it off so I think ok must be head gasket so it all gets replaced including new head bolts
Drive it around for an hour trying to make it hot nope runs cool as then come home switch it boom gurgle gurgle out the over flow again I'm stuck now cause I've heard this can just he a cap issue or it could be a crack in the head or block any ideas out there?
Hi tatuson427, I also have a 2002 VY Super6 [Calais] and I had exactly the same problem, temp went up and I could hear it boiling, gurgling.
What I found was the Thermostat was stuck closed, and its not uncommon for an [original] thermostat to do that on the Super6's, they are a smaller diameter thermostat [only 26mm, Tridon Part# TT203-195, as I have one here ready to install when I do the LIM Gaskets soon] , and its located down behind the throttle body.
You have to remove the throttle body [careful of the gasket], and remove the blower elbow intake manifold [careful of the gasket] [and be careful of the left guard, use a guard protector, so you don't scratch the guards with your clothing] and if you drop a bolt or something, either it will fall onto the floor in the centre of where the car is parked, or onto something else and will be hard to find,
patience is the key to this project.
When you get a new thermostat, mate sure you get a new gasket, as they are not always included, you will destroy the old one, and don't even try and save it, I used gasket cement also, being where its, you don't want to visit that place for a long time
The secret for the super6 cooling systems is to make sure you bleed ALL the air out of it, there are 3 bleed valves, one on the Radiator Return Pipe, one below the Supercharger Snout, and the other one is just below the Blower Intake Elbow, and be careful
"not to unscrew it much" when bleeding the air out, because if you unscrew it to far and it falls out, "there will be a few profanities said", the best way I found to bleed the air, open ALL the bleed outlets, and fill the radiator with some coloured coolant & water and keep it under pressure so it blows all the air out [you wont get all of it out on the first fill] but most of it, run the car with the radiator cap on to get a bit of pressure up a bit, and keep the front and back one open, and make sure you have a steam of water tricking out of them, close the front one first, and then the back one, wait till its cooled down, and then top up the radiator, and will have to top it up the following day, remember I put coolant in it, so you can see the colour of the coolant coming out, where it is difficult to see the rear bleeder. hope this helps. cheers.