Problems bleeding a 20XE

[skud52]

Hi guys, recently fitted a 20XE to a nova, fitted a new water pump and cambelt, got everything running fine, however i can't get the coolant system to bleed,

temp guage rises rather quickly but i reckon thats because its just steam, took the thermostat out to eliminate that problem but no joy,

when the engine is running and i undo the bleed screw in the thermostst housing i dont really get the air out then a steady flow of water, not really anything comes out, however when the engine is not running it flows out in a steady stream.

also when the engine is off the coolant level in the header tank is low, yet when the engine is started this rises rather quickly,

wonder whether the system is being pressurised due to a head gasket failure or a pourous head, any way of finding out if this is the problem without stripping the head off?

any help on this matter greatly appriciated,
cheers, ben

[Adam]

Open the bleed valve, and fill the cooling system until coolant comes out that hole.

TBH ive never bled any coolant system, they self bleed.

[C612DNM]

This sounds weird. You have no thermostat, OK, so what happens when you run it up with the cap of the header tank? ? ? Any air should easily escape.

If you grab and squeeze the bottom hose, you should be able to help it along (don't burn your paws - wear some welding gloves or similar).

[skud52]

yea ive been squeezing the bottom hose but it feels like its just air when the engine is running and more watery when the engines off, thats why i wondered whether this was a head gasket/pourous head problem,

not sure whether the symptoms are the same or not??

[Nova-rich]

Sounds like a blockage the bottom hose should squelch

[C612DNM]

Yep, the bottom hose should be squelchy! It comes from the back of the pump, around the back of the block, and to the bottom of the rad. It does sound like a blockage.

If you have a head gasket problem, you'd expect to find leaks down the block, if it was a porous head, you tend to get exhaust gases in the coolant (have a bit of a sniff!).

If you squeeze the bottom hose (with the engine off and the header tank cap off) can you hear any gurgling?

[skud52]

cheers for the replys guys, will have a sniff and a play with the pipes 2moro, if its a blockage would that be somewhere along the back pipe from the water pump? or is there a external feed? or is the feed internal on the block?

also would a flush treatment resolve this problem?

[Damo]

Have you plumbd the hoses in correctly as they plumb in differently as per cav/astra etc and if not can suffer airlocks.

Check the 2.0 fitting guide in the articles section the diagrams in there.

And as said they normaly self bleed ive never had issues with mine!