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BRAT/ EA81 normal operating temp and bleeding air from coolant system

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So, I just finished the head gasket replacement, and everything *seems* to be working properly, but I had some questions. 

 

While test driving it, I noticed the engine temp gauge rise to the upper part of the third section. It didn't go into the red, but it seemed sorta high compared to what any of my other cars run at. 

 

So I looked up bleeding air from the coolant, and to do so, everything says to take the radiator cap off and let it run to get the air bubbles out. Well I don't know if it's normal but it started PUKING coolant out of the radiator with the cap off. I'm not sure if I'm bleeding air, or it's just regurgitating all the coolant out.

 

Am I doing something wrong? Is there something else I should be doing? Or is that running temp normal for these? 

Staring from cold. Open cap. Fill. Start engine. Level may change. Rev engine a few times. It may draw in some coolant or push out some air. Top off. When the thermostat opens, it may cause some to overflow.

 

It is not normal for it to push out lots of air or coolant during all of this.

 

Opening when hot may cause a gyser effect, if some coolant boils in the block. More chance of this if you are at high altitudes.

  • Author

Staring from cold. Open cap. Fill. Start engine. Level may change. Rev engine a few times. It may draw in some coolant or push out some air. Top off. When the thermostat opens, it may cause some to overflow.

 

It is not normal for it to push out lots of air or coolant during all of this.

 

Opening when hot may cause a gyser effect, if some coolant boils in the block. More chance of this if you are at high altitudes.

 

Staring from cold. Open cap. Fill. Start engine. Level may change. Rev engine a few times. It may draw in some coolant or push out some air. Top off. When the thermostat opens, it may cause some to overflow.

 

It is not normal for it to push out lots of air or coolant during all of this.

 

Opening when hot may cause a gyser effect, if some coolant boils in the block. More chance of this if you are at high altitudes.

 

So I start it from cold and it all seems fine, but after it warms up, it will suck coolant in, but then it starts bubbling crazy. Mainly once I shut it off, it spews the coolant out. I AM  at a fairly high altitude, but would it affect it like this even when I do the open from cold, let it warm up, and it spits it out?

It might be worth a try doing this - once it sucks in, top off and close before it bubbles out? I'm close to sea level, don't have experience at altitude, but it could make a difference in the boiling point. If it were bubbling from cold, that's a sign of bad headgaskets.

  • Author

No, no bubbles when it's cold. I just tried what you said, and took it for a drive and it seems to be staying cooler. I'll have to test it out on a longer drive next time now.

That sounds good. One thing I have changed about first run testing is that after the initial run and top off, do one additional cold to hot cycle only idling. Not driving. Easier to catch that run away caused by air pocket getting into the water pump without cooking the brand new headgaskets.

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