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180 Thermostat and new coolant leak

  • Thread starter Thread starter bn536
  • Start date Start date Dec 9, 2023
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from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
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#21
  • Mar 30, 2024
  • #21
General karthief said:
black is fine, drill a 1/8" hole in the top just below the edge like 1 /4" ?
that engine ran fine, no oil leaks, they claimed 100 hours running time but the water pump thing didn't work for obvious reasons.
they had the engine at the show and would start it up, I'm sure there was a bit of mechanical majic someplace, I remember the guy that sold a metal/oil treatment at car shows (long time ago) that said you could drain the oil from the engine after treatment and it would run fine, no oil, had an engine there that he demonstrated.
I ask "where are they now??"
Click to expand...
What's the advantages of drilling that hole and disadvantages of not having it?
 

from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
1,896
142
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Mar 30, 2024
#22
  • Mar 30, 2024
  • #22
General karthief said:
black is fine, drill a 1/8" hole in the top just below the edge like 1 /4" ?
that engine ran fine, no oil leaks, they claimed 100 hours running time but the water pump thing didn't work for obvious reasons.
they had the engine at the show and would start it up, I'm sure there was a bit of mechanical majic someplace, I remember the guy that sold a metal/oil treatment at car shows (long time ago) that said you could drain the oil from the engine after treatment and it would run fine, no oil, had an engine there that he demonstrated.
I ask "where are they now??"
Click to expand...
In the picture above it looks like the guy drilled two holes
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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#23
  • Mar 30, 2024
  • #23
The holes help bleed the air out while filling and first start, one, two whatever, one needs to be placed at the top when the housing is installed
 
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from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
1,896
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Mar 30, 2024
#24
  • Mar 30, 2024
  • #24
General karthief said:
The holes help bleed the air out while filling and first start, one, two whatever, one needs to be placed at the top when the housing is installed
Click to expand...
So if you don't do that it's just going to take that much longer? As in I've never done that before and never had any issues...
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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#25
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #25
from6to8 said:
So if you don't do that it's just going to take that much longer? As in I've never done that before and never had any issues...
Click to expand...
it just helps with bleeding air from the system.
 
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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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#26
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #26
General karthief said:
it just helps with bleeding air from the system.
Click to expand...
I have never had a problem getting a water cooling system bled on my cars... but I have seen some that just would not bleed, or were a very tough bleed... Same model of cars etc....
New engine, Radiator shop checked radiator and heater core, my 83 start up and system bleeding went really well... I attribute it to ( been there done that before) paying attention to the little things.. They add up....

What the advice on here is saying, with the bleed holes in a T stat, is everything you do to make this job go easier ahead of time is worth your time and effort..
 
Last edited: Mar 31, 2024
Reactions: from6to8 and General karthief

from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
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#27
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #27
limp said:
I have never had a problem getting a water cooling system bled on my cars... but I have seen some that just would not bleed, or were a very tough bleed... Same model of cars etc....
New engine, Radiator shop checked radiator and heater core, my 83 start up and system bleeding went really well... I attribute it to ( been there done that before) paying attention to the little things.. They add up....

What the advice on here is saying, with the bleed holes in a T stat, is everything you do to make this job go easier ahead of time is worth your time and effort..
Click to expand...
oh gotcha.

When it is improperly bled does that lead to temping up issues? Anything else that arises?
 

from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
1,896
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Mar 31, 2024
#28
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #28
General karthief said:
it just helps with bleeding air from the system.
Click to expand...
I've always warmed the car up until I see air bubbles bubbling at the radiator fill with the cap off and heater on high. Once the aire is out of the systsem that's what you will see, correct? Am I missing something as to definitely knowing when all the air is out?

I will go ahead and drill that hole too by they way.
 
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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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#29
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #29
What my experience has been is ...
You can tell when the T stat opens up, as you get a flow of water you can see through the radiator cap AND usually a drop in the coolant level
The coolant level usually drops so make sure you top it off...
Sometimes jack up the front of the car, as air rises and this helps bleed out the air through the " highest point", usually the radiator...
Turn on your heater so any air bleeds out of the heater core....
Check your coolant daily after this for a few days...
 

from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
1,896
142
94
Mar 31, 2024
#30
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #30
limp said:
I have never had a problem getting a water cooling system bled on my cars... but I have seen some that just would not bleed, or were a very tough bleed... Same model of cars etc....
New engine, Radiator shop checked radiator and heater core, my 83 start up and system bleeding went really well... I attribute it to ( been there done that before) paying attention to the little things.. They add up....

What the advice on here is saying, with the bleed holes in a T stat, is everything you do to make this job go easier ahead of time is worth your time and effort..
Click to expand...
i guess it's never to late to learn lol. Reading a post on the corral now I have more questions as that post is from 2020 so I'll ask here. So what I did the othe day I drained at the lower radiator hose and removed the T stat. More ended up draining ( accidental spill) than I needed and so I have about a half a pale full of coolant. The overflow jug is at the full cold level and so when I go to fill I'm guessing just half fill the radiator since it will start sucking from the overflow jug while the car is cold after starting it up correct or no?
limp said:
What my experience has been is ...
You can tell when the T stat opens up, as you get a flow of water you can see through the radiator cap AND usually a drop in the coolant level
The coolant level usually drops so make sure you top it off...
Sometimes jack up the front of the car, as air rises and this helps bleed out the air through the " highest point", usually the radiator...
Turn on your heater so any air bleeds out of the heater core....
Check your coolant daily after this for a few days...
Click to expand...
yes that's usually how I do it. Check my last post in ref to the coolant jug being full and lmk whatcha think....
 

from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
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#31
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #31
i guess it's never to late to learn lol. Reading a post on the corral now I have more questions as that post is from 2020 so I'll ask here. So what I did the othe day I drained at the lower radiator hose and removed the T stat. More ended up draining ( accidental spill) than I needed and so I have about a half a pale full of coolant. The overflow jug is at the full cold level and so when I go to fill I'm guessing just half fill the radiator since it will start sucking from the overflow jug while the car is cold after starting it up correct or no?
 

2000xp8

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#32
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #32
I had always a run Mr gaskets 180. My car ran at that temp all the time, which is where I liked it.
 
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General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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#33
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #33
Fill radiator to within a couple inches from top first time, topping off will be necessary during warm up, the system only pulls coolant from the overflow tank during cool down.
 
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from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
1,896
142
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Mar 31, 2024
#34
  • Mar 31, 2024
  • #34
General karthief said:
Fill radiator to within a couple inches from top first time, topping off will be necessary during warm up, the system only pulls coolant from the overflow tank during cool down.
Click to expand...
Oh gotcha
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
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#35
  • Apr 1, 2024
  • #35
First fill, i usually put the front end on ramps or jackstands. Helps to get the rad cap opening at the highest point of the system. Leave cap off, fill system, start car, massage the upper hose as the thermostat starts to open. Top off as needed and put the cap on. Let it idle a few mins and then shut it off. Make sure overflow is filled and it should suck some coolant back as it cools.

When cool, open cap and top off. Start up engine again and warm up, rinse and repeat until you aren't adding any more coolant. Check it over the first few drives and that's usually it.

I've drilled holes in my thermostat if they werent present.
 
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from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
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Apr 1, 2024
#36
  • Apr 1, 2024
  • #36
Mustang5L5 said:
First fill, i usually put the front end on ramps or jackstands. Helps to get the rad cap opening at the highest point of the system. Leave cap off, fill system, start car, massage the upper hose as the thermostat starts to open. Top off as needed and put the cap on. Let it idle a few mins and then shut it off. Make sure overflow is filled and it should suck some coolant back as it cools.

When cool, open cap and top off. Start up engine again and warm up, rinse and repeat until you aren't adding any more coolant. Check it over the first few drives and that's usually it.

I've drilled holes in my thermostat if they werent present.
Click to expand...
gotcha.

So if you have an empty system, i.e. if you did a flush or something is it best to definitely put coolant back in the block via the front of the intake? If you don't do that and just proceed to fill like you would during a normal thermostat change/fill, would that definitely run the risk of heating that block up too much initially before the stat would have opened to allow coolant to the block?
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 25, 2016
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#37
  • Apr 1, 2024
  • #37
from6to8 said:
gotcha.

So if you have an empty system, i.e. if you did a flush or something is it best to definitely put coolant back in the block via the front of the intake? If you don't do that and just proceed to fill like you would during a normal thermostat change/fill, would that definitely run the risk of heating that block up too much initially before the stat would have opened to allow coolant to the block?
Click to expand...
That's what the hole is for, air out as you fill, I squeeze the bottom hose a bunch while filling, just me, everybody has their own way, most all work, a couple things to remember, check the radiator and overflow tank several times before driving, cold of course, coolant is hot, like 180*+ and under pressure, anything it touches, radiator shell, hoses are that hot or more. Your skin won't like it, ask me how I know........
 

from6to8

There's suction so I used that end O_O
15 Year Member
Sep 2, 2012
1,896
142
94
Apr 1, 2024
#38
  • Apr 1, 2024
  • #38
General karthief said:
That's what the hole is for, air out as you fill, I squeeze the bottom hose a bunch while filling, just me, everybody has their own way, most all work, a couple things to remember, check the radiator and overflow tank several times before driving, cold of course, coolant is hot, like 180*+ and under pressure, anything it touches, radiator shell, hoses are that hot or more. Your skin won't like it, ask me how I know........
Click to expand...
maybe you misunderstood slightly but I was mainly talking about if you flush the block and then the block is empty as well as the radiator.

Or so if you have some in the overflow tank and start filling the radiator and before you even start the car, does some transfer to the block and so therefore when you start the car the block isn't empty before the thermostat opens to let coolant in the block?
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
20+ Year Stangneter
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#39
  • Apr 1, 2024
  • #39
as you are filling the radiator the block is filling at the same time.
the overflow or puke tank as I call it, only comes into play during cool down, overheating will push coolant into the puke tank.
don't over think it.
 
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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done
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#40
  • Apr 1, 2024
  • #40
If you have all the coolant out that you can get out, fill with 2 gallons of Coolant/Antifreeze, then top off with distilled water. ( at the supermarket)
Then do the start, top off, cooldown....
Add some coolant to your overflow also.... .....

OR, What I like to do on a fresh engine is fill with distilled water first.... If you have a leak, its only water instead of coolant all over..
No leaks, see above..
Leaks, fix leak and repeat until no leaks.. see top of this post...
 
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