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Filling new cooling system


TBKBABABTIM

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I'm not familiar with the Sigma, but it does sound as though you have air in there somewhere. Assuming you have a heater, have you opened the heater valve, and have you tried detaching the top heater hose and back-filling the heater?

 

JV

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Thanks I have back filled the heater inlet pipe, the bottom one, I've massaged some of the pipes

which just resulted in more coolant going into the expansion tank which is now very full. Wondering if I should release the nut on the top of the radiator to see if that helps.

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Wondering if I should release the nut on the top of the radiator to see if that helps.
Good idea (at least, that's what I do on Ks and Duratecs). You'll likely get a lot of air out and the level in the expansion bottle will drop markedly.

 

JV

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When CCS replaced the Std (one that everyone hates) Rad with R400 Ali one on my Sigma based 7, their method was to:

 

* open the heater (as previosuly mentioned)

* unscrew the bolt in the top of the new Rad (as it doesn't have the bleed valve) to allow air to escape back to the expansion tank.

* Fill

 

Now the unconvential bit was: When they thought they'd got pretty much all the coolant in, to ensure there was no air in the rad, they cleaned the screw threads around the top of the expansion tank, and then one fo them put their mouth over the top and blew whilst the other one waited for the coolant to jet out the top of the rad - as soon as it did he put the bolt back in.

 

They then ran the engine and topped the coolant up once the air came out into the expansion tank.

 

They must have filled and bled the system in about 5 mins and then ran it up to temp to ensure the fan cut in and out.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

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It sometimes helps to jack the front of the car up, so that the radiator bleed bolt is the highest point and all being well air will find it and get rid of any air locks, you can do this whilst running the engine up to temperature, at least I have done.
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I think you are on the right lines. I just filled my sigma 140 as per the first start instructions including the back fill of the heater. Bit disappointed when all 5 liters in the CC supplied first fill fluid pack disappeared down into the pipes and left an empty header tank. Apparently with a heater it takes about 5.5 l! I had no issues with airlocks.

 

So if you have got a bit over 5 liters and back filled the heater should be ok. When you start up, the bleed tube from the back of the engine to the header tank will just continuously top up the tank. This is different to earlier sigmas where this tube went to the rad. You can top up the levels after the first start if it is a bit low.

 

 

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I have filled my sigma's cooling system three times from empty (initial build, replacement rad & antifreeze replacement at 4yrs)

Each time I found running the engine cleared the air lock. There was a satisfying burp & then I was able to get the full volume of antifreeze in.

What are you using for the first oil fill. I used a 15/30 mineral oil to help things bed in & changed to fully synthetic at 1000 miles but I service the car myself.

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I was assuming it wasn't premix.

That said I'm sure adding water to the premix solution will be ok to complete the full.

Don't quote me on that though as I've never used premix.

 

Edited by - sparky** on 2 Jun 2013 21:15:52

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