Refilling coolant question - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

andy78TA · 02-28-2010, 03:47 PM

I have my car back together so next week when I am home for spring break I will be changing the oil, oil filter, adding coolant and starting the car up for the first time in a 3 months.

My question for now is regarding the coolant. I am going to fill the radiator completely but should I put some coolant directly into the intake manifold port also? I know the coolant will go into the heads once the thermostat opens but the heads are completely dry now from me taking them off and doing the head work and to me it doesn't seem right to run the engine with nothing in there until the t-stat opens.

I figured if I put it into the intake port it would fill the heads at least part way. Am I wrong?? Is there a special way to do this or are the heads okay to be run "dry" until the tstat opens?? Thanks!

(pontiac 400 engine)

LTb1ow · 02-28-2010, 03:51 PM

Can't you just leave the thermo out, fill the radiator till the coolant fills to the thermo housing,and the install the thermo?

I know that works on LT1s.

BonzoHansen · 02-28-2010, 03:55 PM

I guess you could pour some coolant down the t-stat hole before you button it up. I never have.

I do have one of these, well worth the $20 I paid for it. It's one of those stupid tools that is not necessary but works great.

I usually fill the rad, fill the overflow to full cold and start it with this funnel on. The air burps, fill more with coolant. Don't over fill it or it can get messy to remove. Just pour in what's needed.. Once it cools down fill the rad, put the cap on and go. If everything is right if it is short it will draw it out of the overflow when it cools down again.

transmaro93 · 02-28-2010, 03:55 PM

^^^ thats not what i did with mine. i filled mine up at the thermo housing and then used a vacuum tool to fill the rest up. i would put it in the block first. If anything your just eliminating potential air pockets.

this is the tool i used and use at work, but i think it costs a bit much for just using it once, but if you do a few its a real time saver works great! Called air lift system. you do need compressed air to use it though.

andy78TA · 02-28-2010, 04:27 PM

My first potential issue is that I do not have an overflow container ha. I was planning on filling the radiator completely and keeping the cap off and continue to fill it as the tstat opened. The issue with this is that is it safe to run the heads at the beginning with no fluid? The will be completely dry until the thermostat opens.

I think I like the idea of filling up the heads through the thermostat at least part way, putting the thermostat and hosing on, filling the radiator and then keeping the cap open to add more once the stat opens. I just don't like the idea of running the engine with nothing in the heads... make sense?

BonzoHansen · 02-28-2010, 04:32 PM

Yes, you can run the motor with the cap off, and the pre-fill is not a bad idea. It's messy.

You should get an overflow tank, They are cheap.

andy78TA · 02-28-2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

You should get an overflow tank, They are cheap.

The cheapest I have been able to find one for is $110 shipped on ebay... Am I missing something?? ha

BonzoHansen · 02-28-2010, 04:55 PM

I'd have to look, the one for my 77 Z28 was cheap. But a generic one is like $20 from summit

Edit: that's nuts. $85 from year one.

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/f...lant&SM=1&SC=4

Call (not look online) Pete at Fbodywarehouse and ask him what he has for you.

andy78TA · 02-28-2010, 05:00 PM

thanks for the link, I don't know why I keep seeing them for $150 from other sites. I never even thought of looking at yearone as they are usually expensive. A generic one might not be bad either...

BonzoHansen · 02-28-2010, 05:02 PM

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andy78TA · 03-01-2010, 12:51 AM

Next thing, I just read somewhere that the cooling capacity for my engine is almost 19 gallons... Could this be true? Thats a lot of money in coolant

V · 03-01-2010, 07:32 AM

lol, no way is it 19 gallons

should be a lil over 5.5 gallons i think

WildBillyT · 03-01-2010, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy78TA

Next thing, I just read somewhere that the cooling capacity for my engine is almost 19 gallons... Could this be true? Thats a lot of money in coolant

Your gas tank is probably 19 gallons. A generic Moroso overflow can (with drain) is around $30-$40 I think.

Pampered-Z · 03-01-2010, 09:14 AM

Just be very carefull running an engine with the cap off. If there are air bubbles in the block, when the thermostat opens hot coolant can be forced/sprayed out the radiator. might be too late now, but a trick is to drill 1 or 2 1/8" holes into the threostat, this allow coolant to pass thru when closed so you can fill the system.

BonzoHansen · 03-01-2010, 10:08 AM

That is why I like that funnel. So much neater. I've drilled tstats in the past too.

A couple gallons of antifreeze & a couple gallons of distilled water and you're good to go.

andy78TA · 03-01-2010, 01:13 PM

I thought that was gas too but my gas is 21 gallons. On this website it says it is 18.4 and I have gotten all my information from there before and I belong to that forum too. Its gotta be a typo though. http://www.78ta.com/specs1978.php

sweetbmxrider · 03-01-2010, 01:45 PM

its probably 19 quarts. its not 19 gallons, thats for certain. i usually keep the cap in the half turn position if spraying coolant is a concern.

andy78TA · 03-02-2010, 03:31 PM

Just got a confirmation on the mess up. It does not hold 19 gallons, but it still holds a lot at 23.4 quarts. I am just happy I don't need to buy a bunch more coolant. Thanks for all the tips and help guys!