rad. flush-- 2.5gal out only 1.5 in???

[jfz80]

So im workin on hour 3 of the radiator flush and here is my delima. I drained the radiator and block, installed flush 'T' ran and flushed block/rad heat on and off. Now when i tried to fill i got the one gallon toyo red in and then only about 1/2 to 3/4 gal. of water in for a total of 1.5 gallons. it should have over a gallon of fluid left to go. I tried running the vehicle for over ten minutes and cannot get any heat through the vents nor can i get the level of fluid to drop in the radiator. it did push the 50/50 mix out the overflow. What do you guys think? air in the system? stuck t'stat? ( it was replaced less than 18 mos ago )

temp is normal(just below 1/2) only thing odd is rich smelling exhaust.

 

[CJF]

Are you filling through the tee?

 

[IdahoDoug]

Oh, man don't scare me like that (exhaust smell).

The 80 system sometimes is finnicky to fill. What's strange is I've done mine what - 8 times over the years - and sometimes it's finnicky like you're describing and other times the system fills and has no air.

Anyhow, best bet is to fill the block from the upper hose (dunno about now that it's hot...caution) and then fill the radiator. It helps if the car is facing up hill (rad uphill of engine) to get all the air out. Then fill the overflow to its line and go for a drive. If you're not getting heat in the interior, don't leave the driveway - keep filling in dribs and drabs as it's a finnicky day for your 80.

DougM

 

[jfz80]

Are you filling through the tee?

NO. With the s/c the hose routing is slightly different and it is not long/straight enough to allow the T fitting w/out causing a kink in the line. I have 4' section of hose that i installed the T in and it will be a temporary piece for flushing only. I flushed and then reinstalled the heater hose in back (new), however it seems to be a 3/4'' vs the stock 5/8''; could this be the culprit? It does not leak though and was tight to slip on for both ends.

Hour 5.... c'mon californians log on a speak up I have heat now in the cab and have tried going from hot to cold to see if i could force coolant into the block. temp remains at just under halfway, is there any chance i could do more harm by running w/ this limited coolant?

 

[jfz80]

ok idaho counts too.... thanks doug. You think you were scared i looked up and saw a nice cloud but really i believe it was just working in the dark under floodlights.

In the above post i did not intend to drive it this way, just meant as i was idling waiting for heat or drop in collant level in the radiator. The rig got a new HG, water pump, blue fan clutch, and t-stat about 18 mos ago and has never run over 1/2 temp on an unmodified guage. I will not be crawling back in the engine bay to swap hoses again tonight, but if no luck i'll swap after work tomorrow and try filling from the T.

Is there a point in the system that would release the vaccuum. Could you loosen but not remove the block plug and start it to see if you couldnt force the air out. Level in rad. has not gone down in last two hours.

 

[IdahoDoug]

No, the block drain is so low you'll not get air there. When I have had the truck idling for a minute or two, I also hold the idle up at 1200 or so to encourage air to move.

 

[CJF]

You're overthinking it. Like Doug says; it's finnicky.

As long as the system's not pressurized (hot with rad. cap on), disconnect the upper heater hose; you should be able to dribble-fill (again as Doug sez) from there.

Keep me posted; I'll be here a while longer.

Curtis

P.S. If the temp. gauge is responding (as you reported it is), then I really think you've got enough liquid in there to avoid trouble. It'll just burp out the excess air through the overflow over a few drive cycles, and then you can top off the overflow as needed.

 

[jfz80]

thanks guys.....

Its 1AM and i gotta be onsite early tomorrow about an hour from home so im gonna have to let this one sit for the evening. I pulled it up on the ramps to see if it helps and will take a peek in the morning before i leave. (will be driving the taco)

 

[CJF]

Its 1AM

No it's not; it's only 10pm!! ;p

No worries; we'll get 'er done tomorrow!

 

[robchad]

Just done mine last week and the same thing happened to me, No heat getting to heater and did not take as much liquid as it should. Finnicky is an understatement it took ages to fill it all but got there in the end, wish i had of thought of putting it on a bit of a hill.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Interesting. These girls have their own personalities I'm convinced. Sometimes it fills like a bucket, other times like there's all manner of air locks and convoluted plumbing. Er... anyway.

DougM

 

[Driley]

Just wanted to add to all of the other advice. When I did mine 4 weeks ago, I poured a full gallon into the heater hose at the top of the hard pipe that connects to the PHH. I poured another gallon + into the radiator until it was full (started pouring into the radiator and saw the petcock laying on the workbench - ran over, grabbed it, and got it in before too much of the fluid came out). Then poured a 50/50 mix into the overflow. Started the truck with the radiator cap off and kept topping it up. Ended up pouring almost 3 gallons total into the system. Over the next 2 to 3 days I had to top up the overflow (~1/2 gallon).

You should be putting back ~ 3 to 3 1/2 gallons back after a full drain. The system holds 3.75 gallons total I believe.

Riley

 

[Grench]

I flushed and filled two '96s ten times each without ever encountering this issue.

To fill, I simply put the block plug and the radiator plug back in place, disconnected the top hos from the driver's side top of the radiator, put in a distilled water gallon jug top (cut bottle in half) as a funnel, pour in a gallon of T Red into the block, another in the radiator, fill the top hose (block) with another gallon or so of distilled, connect the top hose, fill the radiator with distilled, put 1/2 distilled / 1/2 T Red in the overflow bottle, run.

Under no circumstances should this truck be run with less than 3.5 to 4 gallons of coolant (antifreeze / water).

Running it for 10 minutes without coolant... Umm... Not good.

 

[jfz80]

ok another late start, but heres whats happenin.

Left it on the ramps over night. No difference in level this am or after work. I got heat and temp guage is still just under 1/2. the radiator is full. the top radiator tube is full, the back heater hose is full; so what gives. I definately let it drain till empty(1.5 hrs.), even blew through the fill hose w/ the T. Per the shaman i flushed w/ block and radiator drain open, then replaced the block plug, flushed some more, opened the block again and then reinstalled both block plug and radiator drain before filling.

a drive to the gas station (less than 1/4 mile) and coolant is puking from the overflow overflow. The level is just below full though, so how would it come back out the top? whatever is expelled is what i can add back in top of radiator.

so i got one of the rare low volume radiators or its somehow full?

 

[jfz80]

actually as i read that, if the PO recored the 95 radiator w/ a 3-core brass would it reduce volume? still got the plastic tank but i kinda think he might have said something about the recore.

 

[concretejungle]

i think you should sell it. I'll give you $9,999.

 

[jfz80]

,, oh and Only if your given me yours, but then id have to drive a fugly green one.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Does your REAR heater work? I ask wondering randomly if the rear heater pipe rusted and the PO merely capped them. That would reduce volume some.

DougM

 

[jfz80]

BUMP for Friday. i really wanna make the club ride this weekend.

Yes the rear heater worked before and works after the flush. Its running now, w/ slow steady drip of coolant from the overflow spout on the overflow bottle. I do see how this works w/out being full after examining the cap.

Just eat the 48 bucks and go get more T red and flush again? ONLY thing i can see is IF i flushed w/ block and rad open, then flushed w/ rad drain only open and did not reopen the block that would allow tap water to remain in the block even after rad finished draining completely. I definately believe i opened the block back up, but saying i didnt..... anyone know about how much coolant would be held in the block alone???

coolant level still one inch below full in overflow, how could it be spewing? would this mean its over full?

ok now im officially late for work, ill check back asap thanks guys!!!

 

[jfz80]

for future searchers aid..... Does the uphill trick work only when draining and filling?