coolant

muleskinner · Aug 26, 2014

How are you guys getting air out of your system my radiator is in the back water running through frame rails and im pretty sure i have an air pocket in the system,do i pick it up from the rear and stand it on its nose or rite the opposite,down to the last thing on my buggy any help would be appreicated.Thanks :spin:

pplblazerdude · Aug 26, 2014

Re: coolant

Make sure the radiator is the
Highest point and just let it run till all the air is out. My buggy used to have a filler neck at the motor before I swapped radiators in it cause the radiator was below the motor. Now with my larger radiator this is not the case and the radiator is the highest point. All I do now is fill the lines the best I can then start it and treat it like any other vehicle.

Sent from a undisclosed thinkin spot...

onepieceatatime · Aug 26, 2014

Re:

X2 on make sure your radiator is the highest point. I had a rear mount that I fought every time I went out and that was my problem. My propane mixer was a little bit higher and I couldn't keep that thing cool.

al1tonyota · Aug 26, 2014

It doesn't matter at all if the radiator is the highest! As long as your radiator cap or fill point is the highest along with your overflow it will work fine! They sell in line fill points for this exact thing. Just make sure your cap on the radiator is a higher pressure than the point where your fill and over flow is.

John Galbreath Jr. · Aug 26, 2014

I am going to add a schrader valve in the thermostat housing. Saw this at ARCS race.

ALLJ · Aug 26, 2014

John he is suppose to be getting one today we are going to put it in like your pic one of the problems we are having with his is getting coolant thru the LP mixer you think picking the rear up with my tractor will help while filling ?

ALLJ · Aug 26, 2014

Another thing I dont understand is both the frame rails to and from the engine are hot like they should be but the radiator is cold the engine gets hot pretty quick too

al1tonyota · Aug 26, 2014

JohnG said:
I am going to add a schrader valve in the thermostat housing. Saw this at ARCS race.

My old buggy had a small petcock in the tstat housing for same purpose!

greenlion · Aug 26, 2014

You can loosen the bolts at the thermostat housing and fill until you get water there. Then tighten that up and fill the rest of the way. Drill a couple of 1/8' holes in your thermostat if you run one.
I have one of these tapped into the water neck:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Cooling-System-Bleeder-Drain-Valve-1-4-Inch-NPT,9243.html
I just open it and fill till water comes out; then close and top off. No air pockets. (front engine/ rear radiator)

Neal3000 · Aug 26, 2014

Anyone ever have trouble picking up air pockets when you beat on for a while it at a steep angle?

ALLJ · Aug 26, 2014

Something else I think is wrong but Im not 100% so maybe someone can tell him ! This is a 87 model 22R motor The necks on the radiator that was used in the build are opposite from what a stock front mount Toyota radiator should be meaning that if he moved the radiator he has to the front the top hose from the water neck is going in the bottom of the radiator and the hose from the water pump which is the low one is going in the top of the radiator is this whats causing the fast heat build up ?

al1tonyota · Aug 26, 2014

Neal3000 said:
Anyone ever have trouble picking up air pockets when you beat on for a while it at a steep angle?

Yep!

al1tonyota · Aug 26, 2014

KVINSON said:
Something else I think is wrong but Im not 100% so maybe someone can tell him ! This is a 87 model 22R motor The necks on the radiator that was used in the build are opposite from what a stock front mount Toyota radiator should be meaning that if he moved the radiator he has to the front the top hose from the water neck is going in the bottom of the radiator and the hose from the water pump which is the low one is going in the top of the radiator is this whats causing the fast heat build up ?

The theory behind the "correct" way is heat rises so put hot water in in the bottom heat will dissipate as it moves up threw the radiator. Most rear radiator setups use a restrictor plate instead of a t stat also piece of thin flat plate with a hole start with 1/2" hole you want the water to circulate just not to fast!

nhl_bullitt · Aug 26, 2014

I backed my buggy up a steep 3 foot hill to get my radiator cap up high. Took a while to fill up waiting for the air pockets to bubble out, but it seemed to work. I have not been able to see what kind of luck I have on the trails yet.

Eddyj · Aug 26, 2014

NHL you have any pics of buggy or build? Looks nice in avatar, I'm from Arnold.

nhl_bullitt · Aug 26, 2014

al1tonyota said:
Most rear radiator setups use a restrictor plate instead of a t stat also piece of thin flat plate with a hole start with 1/2" hole you want the water to circulate just not to fast!

I need to make one of those.

Eddyj said:
NHL you have any pics of buggy or build? Looks nice in avatar, I'm from Arnold.

Thanks. I'll try to get a thread with some pics of it in the Tech & Fab section in a few days. I've been slaving trying to get it done for awhile now. I work in Oakville, MO so we are very close, ha.

ALLJ · Aug 26, 2014

al1tonyota said:
The theory behind the "correct" way is heat rises so put hot water in in the bottom heat will dissipate as it moves up threw the radiator. Most rear radiator setups use a restrictor plate instead of a t stat also piece of thin flat plate with a hole start with 1/2" hole you want the water to circulate just not to fast!

That was my thought my radiator is in front just like stock setup his inlet and outlet are rite the opposite

yankster · Aug 26, 2014

I drilled two 1/8" holes in the thermostat to let it flow a little while it's closed. That seemed to help getting the air out on a LS1. On my ramjet I pulled the thermostat housing and filled the radiator until it ran out of the intake then cranked it over to fill the water pump and water jackets then reassembled.