Clarification on burping fresh water cooling system

[WTunnessen]

When "burping" or removing the air lock that can occur after flushing the fresh water cooling system, do you remove the bottom or top hose from the thermostat?

I am planning on using the pump method - where you draw/ pull fluid through hoses going to the hot water heater and pump it back into the main reservoir.

[Stu Jackson]

Walt, it shouldn't matter, since it's just a big hose loop that you're filling.

[Ken Juul]

If I remember correctly, one hose connects to the water pump housing, the other the thermostat housing.  If you are going to suck the fluid through, I would think you would want to feed the lines from the lowest point, less chance of getting a bubble in the lines. 

Personally, I pull both water heater lines, plugging the outlets on the engine.  Fill the engine, then use a funnel in one line to fill until coolant comes out the other end.  Then quickly pull the plugs one at a time and insert the hoses.  May be a bit messier because you are dealing with 2 connections, but I feel better seeing fluid at both ends of the hose.

[Ron Hill]

WT : All of the above methods will work !!

[Ed Shankle]

I think it does matter, If you are bypassing the thermostat and filling the reservoir with the hand pump, which is pulling thru the entire system. Otherwise you'd be drawing it against a closed thermostat and that won't flow.I seem to remember it only working for the bottom hose. Unless the trick is to switch from pulling to pushing the coolant?

Ed

[Ron Hill]

Guys : Ed tweaked my brain.  As I recall, I'd pull the hose off of the thermostate and pumped it into the coolant reservoir. 
If you pull the hose off of the water pump you will get a gusher - if the reservoir is full.  If not full, then you can pull off both hoses and use the funnel to fill one hose until the system is full of coolant. 

I've never had much luck with the butterfly valve on the top of the thermostate - like the Universal manual says to do.
 
Sorry for the miss info.

[Stu Jackson]

Walt, I just reread my post on the subject.  It reads:

As for the air block, it's called "BURPING" and all you need to do is take the 3/8 inch hose off the bottom of the thermostat.  Pour distilled water or antifreeze or the 50/50 mix into that hose with a funnel until water comes out of the bottom of the thermostat.  Loosen the hose clamp and pull the hose off.  Hold that hose up above the thermostat and pour the stuff into it until the water comes out of the bottom of the thermostat - the nipple that you just removed the hose from.  Once that happens, just put the hose back on the nipple under the thermostat housing and tighten up the hose clamp.  Put some Lanocote on the nipple to make it easier to remove the hose the next time. That gets the air out of the loop of hose that goes to the hot water heater and avoids overheating at startup and does not require that you rev the engine while the thermostat petcock is open.  You won't need to open the thermostat petcock at all.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : I'm not too sure what the big deal is over which hose to remove ??  The whole idea is to get any air bubbles out of the water heater coolant and lines!!

Between changing risers, changing coolant, pulling and reinstalling the engine a couple of time I'll guess that I've "burped the engine" at least 6 or 7 times.  One hose goes to the pump and the other goes to the thermostate.  That's how the system works.

Which hose? is no big deal - If the reservoir is full and you pull the wrong hose, you'll quickly reinstall it - guaranteed !!

[Stu Jackson]

One hose goes to the BOTTOM of the thermostat housing, the other hose goes to the freshwater coolant pump.

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