Coolant (and heating) Issues

[HolyCrapItsFast]

My friend has a nifty device that pulls a vacuum on an empty system. You have a bucket of coolant standing by that has a suficient amount in it and when you are ready you release the valve and all of the coolant that was in the bucket is now in the system and there is no possibility of air at that point. I have used it twice on my own car and it was amazing. You dont have to burp or anything.

 

[Grinder34]

^braggart.

So is this a home-brew machine? Do they sell it? how much? You just threw that out there to tease us!

 

[IGOTASTi]

3/4 gal is.....a lot. Dont the cars only take like 1.5-2?

Are you sure you're not burning coolant (blown head gasket or something)?

8.1 qts to be exact. So just a little over 2 gallons.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

I"m pretty positive I don't have a blown head gasket. I'm not burning coolant at all.

 

[Spamby]

Auto shops have that. They pressure test the system and then after it sucks the coolant in with no fuss.
You can buy it. Looked at em briefly when I did all of that coolant system shit to the Porsche a few months back. Did it the old fashioned way but I did add something like 1.5 gal after all of the burping. Course the Porsche took like 3 or 4 gallons or so.

 

[Spamby]

It will also read the temp of any steam... which is almost always a component in a system low on fluid. :tup: When My car last overheated there was very little coolant in the system but the temp pinned the needle even though the sensor saw no coolant.

Tru dat. My last case was when the Porsche blew. Total system dump so very little of anything left. Temp gauge was only marginally above 180*. 220 ish iirc.

 

[HolyCrapItsFast]

^braggart.

So is this a home-brew machine? Do they sell it? how much? You just threw that out there to tease us!

Haha... im just that kinda bitch... It was purchased. It draws a vacuum using compressed air... if you can figure that out (I can I just dont want to explain it) and it come with a variety of adapters and such. I will get a picture and some more info next time im at his shop.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

I just went out for another drive. I burped the system and added maybe another pint at most before I left. The gauge read about 45% throughout
the drive. I had just pulled into my parking spot and my AP read 182 degrees. I let it idle for 3-5 minutes and the temp made it to 207 on the AP
before the fans came on. They ran for 30-60 sec. and quickly drove the temp reading on the AP back down to 189. Not much more I'm going to do tonight.

 

[IGOTASTi]

I'm glad it was nothing serious.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Me too. But the thought still remains, how the @#$& did I get so low? I suppose its possible that when filling it a little while back, I got an air pocket in there and thought it was full. I know a head gasket could be an issue though I don't have any other symptoms pointing to that. I really hope that's not the case.
Makes me think twice now about getting on full boost

 

[HolyCrapItsFast]

Just keep an eye out. If you have a problem again in a month then you probably have an issue that needs looking into. If not the I suspect it was just as you suggest... an air pocket.