TheSamba.com :: View topic - Coolant Bleeding the No Stress, No Mess Way!

Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:30 pm

Jake de Villiers wrote:

I have to agree with Andrew. I've tried all the other methods but the Libby Bong was the quickest and easiest.

I must be a moron. I tried using the bong method and just couldn't seem to get as much coolant back in as what came out. Once the vehicle was running no coolant would come out of the t-stat bleeder valve. No amount of driving around whatever hills I could find worked either.

I eventually took it to a shop just to be safe.

Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:36 pm

My driveway is sloped - how much higher does the rear need to be?

Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:46 pm

Merian wrote: My driveway is sloped - how much higher does the rear need to be?
High enough that the opening of your expansion tank (the one with the pressure cap) is as high or higher than the bleeder on your radiator.

I'm guessing a foot or two.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:25 am

Cool tool. But after the initial fill, I start the motor to warm up engine and get t stat open it boils over. I have tried several times. I have a 1990 vanagon with the South African 5 cyl conversion. My problems seems to have started around the time we installed the Gowesty stainless steel coolant pipes. I have found and fixed leaks, a new t stat, expansion cap, new temp sensor, new water outlet. I have wasted so much coolant I am trying to test the cooling system with just water. Any ideas?

Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:34 am

bugmanfrank wrote: Cool tool. But after the initial fill, I start the motor to warm up engine and get t stat open it boils over.

Not sure of your entire issue..but the above phrase struck me as odd.

I always understood that the Libby bong addition method was done
with the engine running and warmed up. Thats how I have always
done it, once the tstat opens, the bong gulps more water.

Were you trying to fill a non running engine?

Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:00 am

How do you fill a non running engine, I got a brand new engine waiting to be started and have started to fill w/ coolant and seems as though I am only able to get coolant in the short loop, prior to open thermostat. I have even gone as far as siphon/gravity into the radiator bleed at a gallon per 2 hr. and gave up after a gallon. I do have just over 3 gallons in her but that's it. I figured thats a safe start if Im feeding it as it circulates and burps out the air.

This is an I4 w/ bleeder at radiator and heater only.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:02 am

The thermostat does not have to be open for the cooling system to fill. The thermostat on the I4s blocks the coolant returning from the radiator but the coolant channel to the radiator is always open and the coolant return pipe from the radiator is large enough that water will flow down it to fill at the same time air will flow up it and out the radiator. If you have the van parked on flat ground, filling with the bong will bleed 95%+ of the air out of the cooling system without even starting the engine. I now do it that way and then close everything up and run the van up to temp and open the radiator bleeder until any residual air in the radiator is bled out. Then when the engine has cooled off, fill the pressure tank full and you're done.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:04 am

Is there a small hole in the thermostat? Some come with one, if not I always add one to improve bleeding -- but then I also use a pump to fill so the coolant is under some modest pressure.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 9:34 am

Ok I did the fill as directed, but before starting van, I lowered the water level in the abs pipe just about to the bottom. Started engine, revved the engine several times, no air or coolant bleeding off. Got RPM up and blocked to stay up, bled water from the radiator. Then lowered RPM back to idle. Did this several times everything ok, water level was rising up the tube, still don't think the t stat was open yet. Then the level went within 4 inches of the top and I turned off engine. It overflowed just a little ( the least it has done it the last few weeks). I let it sit, the coolant level fell some. Topped it off, put the cap on and went for a 15 min drive. So far things seem ok. I will check the level this afternoon.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 9:59 am

I have used the bong many, many times and would modify the initial instructions if the forum didn't have a cutoff timeframe for editing..

The Libby Bong 10-Step Program

1 With the engine off, turn heater to hot and open the rear heater valve.
2 Install the bong on the pressure tank and fill it almost full.
3 Open bleeder on radiator. If coolant comes out of bleeder then close the bleeder on the radiator and proceed to step 5. If coolant does not come out of the bleeder then close the bleeder and proceed to step 4.
4 Top off the level in bong and go back to step 3.
5 Start engine and rev it up for 2 seconds and then shut it off.
6 Top off bong and open bleeder on radiator. If coolant comes out of bleeder then close the bleeder on the radiator and proceed to step 7. If coolant does not come out of the bleeder then close the bleeder and proceed to step 4.
7 Drain bong and replace the cap on the pressure tank. Top off burp tank at license plate.
8 Drive the van around until it is warmed up a bit.
9 Stop somewhere that the passenger side is slightly higher than the driver's side and open the radiator bleeder. If coolant leaks out then proceed to step 10. If only air hisses out, then re-read the process and make sure you followed the instructions exactly. If you see that you did not follow the instructions exactly then start over at step 1. If you see you did follow all the instructions exactly then proceed to step 8.
10 Park the van and allow it to cool off. When cool, top of pressure tank and burp tank. Look at and top off the burp tank every day or so until the level when cold is consistent.

You may notice that the updated instructions do *not* include running the engine with bong in place until warm.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 10:59 am

Andrew A. Libby wrote: I... would modify the initial instructions if the forum didn't have a cutoff timeframe for editing.

All you have to do is ask a moderator. Requests come in via PM all the time. (In this case, the ten steps have been added to the first post.)

Thu Jul 17, 2014 11:23 am

Yeah, but that extra step is a gumption buster. Thanks for doing the edit, though.

Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:00 am

Is the burp tank needed? I did my install with out it and just used the pressure tank. It seems as though I have seen this done before with out the burp tank.

TIA-

Fri Jul 18, 2014 6:58 am

Thank you for the updated instructions. I often need more than others do. I think today I will drain some of the water out and add antifreeze. Ok here I go again. Blue or red. And while I am asking how much? Our winters rarely get to 0 and our summers rarely get to 100. Usually we would use about 3 liters of coolant. I have been using red, but I have 4 gallons of the blue it was a little cheaper than the red. Thanks for the information and the cool tool...I noticed yesterday that the clear hose was leaking at the abs pipe, I think it will store better with the plastic tube out. Anyway just an observation.

Fri Jul 18, 2014 7:10 am

Ok I was being lazy. I have the big green bible. 7ltrs to -13f. Looks like I have been shorting my cooling system.

Thu Sep 18, 2014 2:53 pm

ok dump question.
What is that small tube attach to the bong for?
Please explain. :)

Thu Sep 18, 2014 2:57 pm

botoson wrote: ok dump question.
What is that small tube attach to the bong for?
Please explain. :)

It is explained in the first post in this thread. :D

Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:12 pm

After coolant comes out of the radiator and then you close it. How do you drain the bong when coolant is still in there?
Would it be a mess if you take out the bong?

Thu Sep 18, 2014 4:22 pm

botoson wrote: After coolant comes out of the radiator and then you close it. How do you drain the bong when coolant is still in there?
Would it be a mess if you take out the bong?

It is explained in the first post in this thread. :D

Thu Sep 18, 2014 4:30 pm

...After you are done filling the system...

Andrew A. Libby wrote: While holding the nylon tube, undo the rubber band. slowly lower the tube until coolant is very close to the end of the hose. Pinch the hose and stick the end in your leftover coolant jug with it sitting below the expansion tank. Relase the nylon hose. This will start a siphon going which will drain the coolant out of the ABS tube and connector. You can then undo the connector and top off the expansion tank and burp tank and put all the stuff away for next time.