No coolant in WP to Tsat hose after bleeding system?

[tirefryer]

I just replaced the TB and WP on my 88 ix and bled the system as per instructions posted on the forum:
Open bleeder screw.
Pour coolant slowly into the overflow reservoir till it fills or coolant comes out of the bleeder screw - I stopped when overflow was full.
Close bleeder screw, put cap lightly on overflow bottle and start the engine... Fan on fulll blast and full heat.
Car starts on first go and idles great... When heat comes from vent, I start to bleed the bleeder screwand filling overflow bottle as needed.
When bubbles stop coming from bleeder screw (ran car for 20min), closed bleeder screw and topped off the overflow bottle to mark and capped it.
In running the car for 20min, never got past 1/2 mark and spit out good heat from vents.

My question: as I am letting the car cool, I can tell by touch that the hose from the WP to tstat is empty (has a hollow sound when I tap it) and very pliable... Shouldn't this be full of coolant and moderately taut when I go to squeeze it?

Thanks for any insight and/or assistance.

Thank you

[jlevie]

The parts of bleeding the system that I don't see in what you did is starting the procedure with the front of the at least 1' higher than the rear and running the engine up to 2500rpm several times. From what you describe I'd say there is still air in the system.

[tirefryer]

Glad u r answering since I used ur instructions. That is one thing I did not do was to raise the front end 1" higher. I did rev the engine p to 2500rpm several times till the bleeder screw had no bubbles. Car is cooling right now, so I will raise the front end tomorrow and re-bleed the system.

Bottom line is that even when cooled down, there should be coolant in that hose, correct?

Thanks

[jlevie]

The hose might not wind up completely full, but it will have coolant in it.

[tirefryer]

Excellent...Good to know. It has been @ or below freezing, so I didn't know if that had anything to do with it since maybe the cold weather wasn't allow the car to get hot enough.

I will report back once I re-bleed with the front end raised.

Thanks again.

[jlevie]

There is a way to "cheat" when bleeding the system. There is a small hose that runs from the top of the radiator to the expansion tank. Remove that hose from the radiator, put the cap on the tank and blow into the hose until coolant comes out of the radiator. Best to do this with the nose of the car up in the air and after the usual bleeding. It will get any air that is in the radiator or upper hoses out.

[tirefryer]

Funny you posted this since I rigged up a hand fluid pump last night to attach to the rad where the small hose goes and pump coolant into the rad that way. However, I like your way better since it would allow air to escape from the rad while back-filling with coolant from overflow tank.

[tirefryer]

Ok, so I lifted the front end before any further work. I topped off the coolant, closed the cap and took off the little hose from the rad to try and blow the coolant into the system, but coolant spurted out of the rad so I put the little hose back. Opened the bleed screw and coolant came out....hmmm, ok I started the car with heat on full and let it get up to operating temp. Coolant level in the overflow res went down some, opened the bleed screw and only a few bubbles came out. Revved to 1500rpm a handful of times, yet no more bubbles, only coolant came out of the bleed screw. Took the car out for a drive to bed the new front and rear brakes as well as test the cooling system. Drove for 30min and temp never went past 1/2 mark even with heat turned off - stayed a the the first hash past the cold blue, as it has done prior to the TB change. Parked the car to let cool and checked for leaks - no leaks :) will check coolant level in the morning just to be sure.

Thanks for your help!