Club 80-90 Forums

OK, so why lift the front of a t25 while bleeding the coolant system. Seems odd as from what I have read so far you leave the top off the expansion tank. But with the front lifted the radiator is going to be higher than the expansion tank and gravity is push the water out the top of the expansion tank rather than the bleed screw in the radiator. I understand that the air is going up and out the top of the radiator but dont see how the level of coolant is going to exceed that of the expansion tank. Does my question make sense.

The only reason I think that this is the process is that the water pump 'pushes' the coolant up in the radiator.

I am going to follow the proceedure but somewhat seems odd.

Chris.

 

You don't need to lift the front.

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/bleed ... 29710.html

Outdated and incorrect advice.
Plenty of ways to skin a cat, but there's no need to lift any part of the van, all you need is pressure in the system to force the air out of bleed screws. This can be achieved by letting the system heat up with the engine running, or by manually pressurising the system through the port on the header tank cap with a tyre inflator.

For a petrol WBX:
Open all the bleed screws, turn the heater to "heat" (no need to run the fan) and fill the header tank with coolant til you can't get any more in. Start the engine, give it a rev up and down and keep topping up the header tank With the engine at idle but still cold, Put the cap back on, close the bleed screws and pump the coolant system up to 1 bar (this also pressure tests the system for leaks or loose hoses)
Open the radiator bleeder til water comes out then nip it up. Rev the engine again then close the bleed tap above the thermostat.
Top up the header tank with coolant, reconnect the overflow, job done.

R0B wrote: ↑19 Jun 2025, 11:52 You don't need to lift the front.

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/bleed ... 29710.html

Hi Rob,
Thanks for getting back but the link you put in does state to lift the front of the van.

" Put the van up your car ramps, or jack the front up at least 12"(or park on a hill!!) "

Chris.
 

I changed the link to Simon baxters have a read of that one.

R0B wrote: ↑19 Jun 2025, 12:06 I changed the link to Simon baxters have a read of that one.

Thanks Rob.

Looks good, I will give it a try tonight.

Chris.

R0B wrote: ↑19 Jun 2025, 12:06 I changed the link to Simon baxters have a read of that one.

HI Rob,

Seems to have worked nicely. I have got maybe 9ltrs of neat coolant in and maybe 2lts of water. I had replaced the feed pipe to the radiator so thought perhaps that had got all the old fluid out the system but it seems not. I will continue to monitor over the next few weeks etc topping up as necessary.

Tempurature guage doesnt seem to work now, while under the van was going to test by shorting the two sensor wires but they pretty much snapped in my fingers so thats the next job to fit new spade clips. Oh and found a hole in the exhaust... The joys..

cheers,
Chris.