Refilling cooling system.

[snes]

OK - I feel a bit like mr paranoia here,but.......
I had to replace the radiator sender unit, and the car was also due a complete coolant refill, so everything was drained, flushed out with a hose - easy peasy!

But refilling - I have so far emptied 4 litres into the 688 engine, the heater bleed screw now emits water, while the cylinder block screw doesnt seem to emit much of anything.(not that you can see much down there!)

What worries me is that, according to the book, the 1108cc engine should take 6 litres. But I cant get any more in.

Am I safe to use the car, or is there a big fat air void somewhere that will cause the engine to overheat or worse?

Any tips or advice willingly received!

 

[malcolm]

The block screw will be blocked (hence it's name ) You are lucky it didn't fall off.

Sounds like you are fairly close. I tend to undo the expansion bottle and sit it on top of the engine, fill from the radiator. then put the rad cap back on and open up the heater bleed until water comes out. To get a bit more air out use the top hose as a pump. Squeeze it and release it again and again - you'll hear the bubbles going into the radiator. Remove the radiator cap, let it fill up and repeat.

The system self bleeds the rest out so long as you get it close - you'll see the water level in the expansion bottle fall after the first run.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

Don't worry - the block will have a lot of gunge in it. Remove the block draining screw and use some bent wire and wiggle it about and you will see the water come out.

Are you bleeding the system according to the book?

 

[reidalpine]

Hi again! loosen expansion-tank then raise it as high as you can get it-tie it to bonnet-catch or something-Open bleedvalves from heater-matrix (rubber-hose comes outta bulkhead) 2-3 turns on screw is enough-or you'll end up loosing it down there. Open bleed-valve on preheating carb,screw placed on small rubber-hose to carb-flange.
I've never had to open the one in the block itself,but if you can reach it-open it. Now fill via the expansion-tank and close the bleed-valves after a few seconds (to let some air-bubbles out first) Then -From lowest position to highest ,as coolant starts to pour out in a nice bubble-free steam -Be sure you have remembered to put the heater-valve in ON or OPEN-position so you fill heater-matrix aswell.
Fill expansion-tank as it empties-Up to the MAX-mark. Squeeze the 2 fat-water-hoses to massage out air and fill w.coolant. Now start motor and let it run for 10 mins or 'till good and warm then turn off ign.have a beer and let coolant sink Then fill up to MAX-mark if need....... -R.

 

[Apprentice]

So, we are settling on 4 litres then ?
I'll have a go at mine today, if the rain stops.....
Thanks

 

[André4Renaults]

So, we are settling on 4 litres then ?
I'll have a go at mine today, if the rain stops.....
Thanks

So that's 4 litres of beer, then???

 

[Apprentice]

So that's 4 litres of beer, then???

Andrew, please, we were still on the subject of coolant......
SNES appeared to be struggling to squeeze more than 4 litres into the system during the refilling. 2 litres less than anticipated. In the following thred, Malcolm assures SNES that it "sounds like you are fairly close"
Hence my satisfaction at settling on Malcolm's advice.

Ref: your kind offer of some beer.... It's a shade late for me ( too near bedtime ), so I'll settle for a large White Port.
We've gone awefully refined in South Wales since "they" closed all the Collieries

Regards

 

[petak]

My way Recommended way to be correct


1.Lifted expansion bottle on top of the hood (opened - above bleeding screw), and opened bleeding screw on heater matrix at firewall (heating in side cabin turned to red - open valve).
Set catching container at bleeding screw.



2 Slowly filled up antifreeze in bottle and left it to get into system. Opened cap on radiator to speed up filling system. Once cooling water get to top of that cap close it and left some more water to get in system



3. After a while on bleeding screw cooling water started to get out. left it to opened for some time more to get air out as much as possible. And then tighten bleeding screw.
That was it.



For whole process have prepared 5 liters of cooling water.
2 liters of antifreeze concentrate (- 80°C) and 3 liters of distilled water....end up with 5 liters of cooling water at -25°C. (according to recommendations on antifreeze bottle)
Quite enough for my part of Europe

Hope this will help to bleed your own R4 cooling system.

 

[Grenuj]

I detached the bottom radiator hose.. liquid was flowed out.. "liquid":

To be sure the cooling system is completely clean before adding fresh antifreeze, i use tablet for dish-washing machine.
When I filled the cooling system with only water to wash off the soap, only 3 liters of water has been added to the system (I expected 5 liters of cooling water.).
Heater control on HOT.
I fill the system with clean water and repeat this step, running the engine for around 20 mins.
There could be something wrong with the cooling system?

 

[Eccles60]

I've never filled my R4 system (done it lots of times on other cars) but I thought you filled through the raised expansion bottle and never take the radiator cap off? I think mine actually says do not remove. I probably should drain and refill soon so it's fresh.

 

[jjad]

I think I filled it up using the radiator cap to start with, to speed things up. Then I closed the radiator cap and continued via the expansion bottle.

 

[Grenuj]

After a few days of driving the level dropped and in the end it was total poured 4 liters.