Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: filling the cooling system ??

  1. #1
    Van Enthusiast joegri's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    87 4wd cargo 88 4wd cargo
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    narragansett,rhode island
    Posts
    112
    Rep Power
    1

    filling the cooling system ??

    i,ve owned the vans for lots of years now and have never had a problem filling the cooling system,but now i,m not sure if its getting all the collant it should be getting. i havnt seen a bleeder like my lil civic hatch or anything like it. what do you guys do? i just take the cap of the goose neck and let it warm up and add collant as some bubles burp out of the neck. any and all replys will help. thanx for reading this. joe g

  2. #2
    Van Addict
    My Van(s):
    Blue 1987 4wd 5-speed Hi/Lo Manual Hubs - Sold. Grey 1987 4wd Cargo conversion, automatic in repair mode.
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    oregon
    Posts
    410
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    That's what I do too. Also make sure the heat is on so it gets through the heater core. Then I check it every few days to see that it's settled in and cap it when warm and running.

  3. #3
    Van Enthusiast joegri's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    87 4wd cargo 88 4wd cargo
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    narragansett,rhode island
    Posts
    112
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    thanx for the reply dj i was thinkin that i was missing something but it must be full then.been chasing this mystery leak and finnaly found it this afternoon.

  4. #4
    Van Addict
    My Van(s):
    Blue 1987 4wd 5-speed Hi/Lo Manual Hubs - Sold. Grey 1987 4wd Cargo conversion, automatic in repair mode.
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    oregon
    Posts
    410
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    i don't know if i'm doing it proper either but it seems that's how some folks do it. where was the leak?

  5. #5
    Van Enthusiast joegri's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    87 4wd cargo 88 4wd cargo
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    narragansett,rhode island
    Posts
    112
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    just a bad pipe from the rad to the neck i got it!!!

  6. #6
    Van Enthusiast joegri's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    87 4wd cargo 88 4wd cargo
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    narragansett,rhode island
    Posts
    112
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    shi t was hitting the fanblade n makin it hard to tell whwere it was commin from

  7. #7
    Van Addict
    My Van(s):
    Blue 1987 4wd 5-speed Hi/Lo Manual Hubs - Sold. Grey 1987 4wd Cargo conversion, automatic in repair mode.
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    oregon
    Posts
    410
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    awesome.

  8. #8
    Van Enthusiast joegri's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    87 4wd cargo 88 4wd cargo
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    narragansett,rhode island
    Posts
    112
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    man i,m puzzled??? i keep adding cooant to the system but now i think i,m chasing my tail. when i open the cap and check where the level is(in the neck) its always a cup or so low. so i add some. then i find coolant all over the place the next day? i swapped out the resivoir and cleaned out the hoses so i think all is in proper working order. my question to you guys is..... if you opened up yer gooseneck today where is yer level at like can you see it or is it out of sight? i just dont want to cook the motor cuz of a wrong filling point. thanx for reading this and responce.

  9. #9
    Administrator llamavan's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    1985 5-sp cargo (Trustyvan) . . . . 1989 5-sp 4WD DLX (Skylervan)
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    PNW
    Posts
    1,813
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    The coolant should be all the way to the top of the filler neck. You've got another leak somewhere in the system.

    Gwen
    1985 5-speed window cargo van set up for llama haulin'; 345K ("Trustyvan")
    1989 4WD 5-speed DLX; 410K and an odd sense of humor ("Skylervan")

  10. #10
    Van Enthusiast joegri's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    87 4wd cargo 88 4wd cargo
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    narragansett,rhode island
    Posts
    112
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    thanx for your reply gwen last nite after i got out of the van i could hear it hissing at me as i walked away so i ran n got a flash light to scope thinga out. sure enough i did find a pin hole in the upper rad hose that would shoot coolant onto the front of the block and the heat would dry it hence, thats why i couldnt find it. as a mtter a fact i had to use a small compct mirror to locate it!! this mornin i cut back maybe an inch of rad hose reaattatched and put a new clamp on. c,mon now i dare ya to leak!!!! hope i got em all. now onto timming this thing seems a lil sluggish.just ordered a new cap n rotor too

  11. #11
    Administrator llamavan's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    1985 5-sp cargo (Trustyvan) . . . . 1989 5-sp 4WD DLX (Skylervan)
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    PNW
    Posts
    1,813
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    It would be smart to replace that upper rad hose ASAP because that hole is a clue to the condition of the rest of the hose ...

    Gwen
    1985 5-speed window cargo van set up for llama haulin'; 345K ("Trustyvan")
    1989 4WD 5-speed DLX; 410K and an odd sense of humor ("Skylervan")

  12. #12
    Van Enthusiast joegri's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    87 4wd cargo 88 4wd cargo
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    narragansett,rhode island
    Posts
    112
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    man i cant believe it i still have to add coolant to the van every morning. so today i stopped at my buddies shop n set up an appointment to have a pressure test done and a few other ways to test for a bad head gasket. ya gotta believe me i,ve checked every joint hose clamp and any place collant can leak out of. i,m thinkin the worst would be a bad head gasket and if it is true i have 2 other motors that i,ll swap out. not looking foward to doing that job but i,m prepaired to. these things dont happen when its nice out they wait for the coldest days of the year and no garage wha wha wha .

  13. #13
    Van Fan Harbilly's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    Vanessa the 86 2wd cargo and Rusty the Troubled 89 4WD. Update: Rusty is dead. A trailer dragged him over a cliff. He is crumpled and in my front field and donating parts to keep Vanessa on the road.
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Canada's West Coast when working. Home in the West Chilcotin when not.
    Posts
    96
    Rep Power
    1

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    Well? Did you start changing hoses?
    Arghhh. Har Har Har. It's a pirate's life for me!

    86 2wd cargo
    89 4wd (now a crumpled mound of parts in the front yard)
    96 (3rd Gen) 4Runner Limited

  14. #14
    Administrator timsrv's Avatar
    My Van(s):
    Lots of them
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    SW WA ST
    Posts
    6,261
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: filling the cooling system ??

    The saga continues HERE

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •