[Mk2] [Turbo] airlock?

[daveslater3110]

So, ill try keep this brief if i can (proof reading this and i may have got carried away!). Changed my thermostat the other week for a mr-t proper job one (tested, works fine).

When we changed it, we flushed the coolant out from rad, pipes under car, and the block. Then we put rad flush in and we got all the crap out the cooling system, its mint.

So anyway, when we replaced the coolant with halfords advanced mixture (50/50 mix) we used a snap on venturi valve jobi, which creates a vacuum and sucks all the air out the system, then pushes coolant in, so there is no air at all.

Right so my problem is, i didn't do up the bleed valve (bottom drain tap)at the radiator end properly (rushed it, like an idiot) so when i was on the motorway, it overheated, finally got home, after i had a strop i realised the next day that it was dripping, so we thought as it hadn't lost alot of coolant, it drew air in causing airlocks, not a lack of coolant. So i replaced bleed valve just incase on thursday, but once i had i did a manual bleed without the fancy tool, following the oc instructions.

Ever since, the temp gauge rises completely at random (not overheating as such) for example i drove it hard tonight, almost full boost for a few seconds and when i pulled up..fine, not a murmer..parked at shops, drove home normal, pulled up, the gauge started rising slightly but when i rev it abit the gauge comes down again?! I'm guessing airlock right? As in the water pump is spinning faster, dragging the water and air lock with it?
Only bled it thurs/fri, maybe this is normal?

Any idea's guys? Sorry for the essay! Bit of light reading for ya!

Thanks in advance, Dave.

[Goldy]

Sounds like an air lock, did you drain the air from the top of the heater matrix using the plastic tubes?

Have a look at :
http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/kb.php?mode=article&k=38

[daveslater3110]

bloody ell! that wa quick! Yeah i did buddy, put the heater on hot aswel and used both bleed hoses..

[daveslater3110]

oh forgot to ask, do you know how long the airlocks take to subside? Sick of looking at my temp gauge..im gunna have a crash one of these days!

Dave

[Slarty]

It sounds like you have air in the system at least, possibly not an air lock though, per se.

The temperature sender will read wrongly if it isn't wet.

[daveslater3110]

Do you know how long it will take for the air to get all the way out of the system? Or is it going to be like this for a few days?

Dave.

[Slarty]

I'd say the only way would be to bleed it again, maybe in a day or two having left it overnight for the air to come to the top, so to speak.

[daveslater3110]

Ok, thanks for that. I'll try bleed it again tomorrow then. I'm guessing this is normal then? Everyone goes through this with a manual bleed?

[foxy-stoat]

Air locks on tend to disappear by themselves. Just bleed it again from the top bleed screw on the rad a few more times, doesnt take very long.

As long as your sure you dont have any tiny leaks it should sort it out.

I had a problem with my turbo when the bleed screw O ring was split. Buged me for ages, kept losing small amounts of coolant over a few weeks. Sorted it in the end tho.

Do your rad fans come on if them temp gets hotter than normal?

[daveslater3110]

Thanks for the advise everyone, i've had a air free day today..touch wood it seems to have solved it.

Ta Dave