Proper "burping procedure"?

[incoming]

I built my 351w and had it installed by my local guy ( I don't have a lift).

Old engine never overheated. Drove it two miles and she overheated. I suspect its airlocked.

[Tom Wells]

in,

I have an overflow can for my radiator, so I just warm the engine, let it cool, and top it off. The air goes out as the coolant expands when the engine warms. After a few refills the overflow can gets enough water pushed into it which then is sucked back into the radiator as the engine cools.

If I could get to it, I'd prefill the overflow can. Since I can't get at it, this method works fine but takes a few more heat/cool cycles.

It usually takes 4 or 5 cycles to get all the air out.

Been there; if there's air, the thing will overheat fairly quickly! After it's full it will happily idle or cruise slowly all day long.

Tom

[Gpkrider]

This has worked for me before, normally the radiator has to sit higher than the engine so you can use ramps or jack it up so front end is raised, then completely fill radiator till it’s ready to overflow while evacuating the air bubbles till none are evident, put back on ground and start with radiator cap removed, run 5-10 minutes till thermostat opens, replace cap and go drive. Hope this helps

[spdbrake]

Burping is usually not a real big issue in an SBF. Some folks jack the front end, park on inclines, etc.. though.

What can be an issue I see it close to 50% of the time on new sbf builds is a CCW waterpump and timing cover being driven CW (clockwise) and also a CW pump being driven CCW. The pump impeller does not pump hardly at all as only the tips grab water.

If you can post the part numbers for the timing cover and water pump you used and a pic of your pulley belt orientation that can be answered pretty quickly.

[MKS427]

Do you know for sure you have air trapped? Before you get too far in this, you may want to pressure test the cap and the system, first. T-stats mysteriously go bad during rebuilds too.

[6TNCRZY]

When it overheated did it push water out? Sometimes if air is trapped in the engine the temp gauge will not read properly. A good way to remove trapped air is to loosen the temp sender on the manifold near the thermostat housing. I usually drill a 1/8" hole in the thermostat and install the thermostat with the hole at 12 o'clock, this insures there is no air trapped in the engine.

[eschaider]

The best $30 you will ever spend. It uses a vacuum to fill the cooling system.

click here => Vacuum Assisted Radiator Fill

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Ed

[olddog]

I have 12' tall ramps and that was not enough to burp my Cobra (5.0 ltr block).

My parents house is a ranch with full basement built into a hill. The front of the house has three steps. The walk out basement floor has one step down. So the bank drops about 7 feet in 28 feet. Backing the car over the bank worked perfectly. for me. So if you can find a hill of similar steepness that you can drive a car on, it should work.

[incoming]

Thanks a lot guys. A couple of short cycles and a gallon of 60/40 later, she's back to normal.

[ffr5111]

Lisle funnel system works for me. Good product.

[mln385]

Put one of these in>>> https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by incoming

I built my 351w and had it installed by my local guy ( I don't have a lift).

Old engine never overheated. Drove it two miles and she overheated. I suspect its airlocked.

Install a thermostat with a 'jiggle pin' the next time you drain the cooling system. It allows air to flow through the thermostat, then closes when coolant starts to flow through. Problem solved.

[Mark O'Neal]

I used to just drill a couple of bleed holes into the thermostat body.

I know it's really low tech.....

[S1965C]

Originally Posted by Mark O'Neal

I used to just drill a couple of bleed holes into the thermostat body.

I know it's really low tech.....

That works great. Just clock the hole to the top. Have also heard of the “aspirin trick”, where you jam open the thermostat with an aspirin and it allows fluid flow and topping off during that initial minute of startup. Then harmlessly dissolves. Never tried it but the concept works.

[Mark O'Neal]

She'd still get a headache.....