Trying to change coolant.
Drained the old out.
Started to fill with new (coolant first rather than a mix, which could have been a mistake), and the air in the system simply stops it filling. As a result I have just over a litre in the system, it won't drain (possibly same reason), starting the engine fails to pump the fluid round the engine.
I'm stuck.
Any help appreciated.
Dave
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Resolved.
For anyone stuck with this one. The overflow tank is for topping up.
Note the radiator cap towards the offside (typical radiator cap shape). Use that when refilling; then the car behaves like any old car should, gurgling merrily away as it took in the requisite amount.
Leave overnight to let the liquid get round, and check after a while to ensure all the air is gone.
DaveP
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Almost all Japanese cars are like this - they don't have a 'sealed' cooling system (i.e. the overflow tank vents to atmosphere).
When refilling a Japanese car, add the correct antifreeze and water mixture (50:50) through the radiator until it is full. Bleed if necessary (i.e if there are bleed screws then open them until fluid dribbles out without bubbles). Fit the rad pressure cap. Fill the overflow tank to the 'max' line.
Run the engine until the thermostat open (top of rad hot, fans run once). Allow to cool down. Top up rad and top up overflow tank.
The system is NOT refilled through the overflow tank.
Some small loss of water through evaporation from the overflow tank (say, 10-50ml a month) is normal with these systems.
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I also found on an MX5 that parking with the vehicle pointing uphill helps the heater to fill, and the top of the radiator becomes the highest point apart from the overflow tank.
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Yes, that will help, good idea. In my experience Jap car cooling systems are fairly easy to bleed. Not like Renaults.....
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I was pleased to see in my hondas manual detailed instructions on how to change the coolant. I followed them to the letter and it is exactly as Aprilia says (what else). I can also confirm it is about 50 times easier than my last peugeot that needed a stupid header tank arrangement and endless faffing about with bleed points and even then some air stayed in.
I didn't know that these jap systems were unsealed, apart from easier bleeding, what other advantages does this system have? i thought all modern systems were sealed.
Cheers
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The advantage is that the system is slightly simpler - there is no pressurised header tank (these tend to be prone to spliting on some makes) and the systems are much easier to bleed. The downside is that you can expect to lose a small amount of coolant through evaporation and also it is possible, under some circumstances, to have a coolant leak but the overflow tank stays full. You should therefore check coolant level in BOTH the overflow tank and the radiator on a Japanese car.
The French seem to make the worst cooling systems - very awkward to bleed and requiring hoses with bleed screws and an arrangement of funnels and pipes etc when filling to ensure that all the air comes out. A lot of garages now use 'vacuum fillers' to fill cooling systems.
BMW's can also be bad because on some models the thermostat is the highest point in the system. If air gets into the system then the flow stops and engine quickly overheats.
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Thanks for that reply Aprilia and the tip regarding checking both the reserve tank and the rad level.
I must agree about the french cooling systems. My peugeot was terrible to change coolant on, and how many post have we had on this forum about renaults and citroens with air locks and other cooling problems.
Why then i wonder do most manufacturers seem to use the sealed type system if the non sealed "jap" type is easier to work on (and probably more reliable)?
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