Cooling System Refill

[VETTE1966]

I have a 1966 small block, no air.

I'll be changing my cooling fluid and some hoses soon and heard all sorts of stories about how to refill the system from "burping" it at the thermostat housing to installing a flushing system "T" in the heater hose line and filling there. It seems one could just fill it through the expansion tank let the engine warm up and let the air escape through the expansion tank opening. Check in the morning and adjust accordingly.

Am I missing something here that requires some special procedure to ensure all air is out of the system? HELP... and THANKS!!

 

[magicv8]

IMO fill and check after warm ups. That's all I ever did to my 63.

RTFM (Read The Factory Manual) for the same instructions.

 

[cdr63corv]

Cant remember if I read it here or another forum, someone suggested filling through the thermastat hole then installing thermastat etc, and filled the rest from the surge tank. Sounded like he never had any problems, worth giving it a try anyway.

 

[c5vetter]

Duke Williams on NCRS and other forums has advocated filling through the thermostat for quite some time

 

[JohnZ]

Cant remember if I read it here or another forum, someone suggested filling through the thermastat hole then installing thermastat etc, and filled the rest from the surge tank. Sounded like he never had any problems, worth giving it a try anyway.

Yup, that was me (and Duke, too) - I've been doing it that way for decades, never had any trapped air issues, never had to "burp" the system; fills the system air-free every time. See my 4-page Tech Article on radiator replacement in the January issue of "Corvette Enthusiast" magazine for pics and details.

 

[c5vetter]

cdr63corv,

where you located in Minnesota? reason I ask, I grew up around the St. Cloud area and make it back there usually once a year. If I don't do Bloomington this year in June, I plan on doing the NCRS show in Rochester

 

[cdr63corv]

Im about 60 miles south of st paul mnpls Owatonna is the town, Heard a while back about the show in Rochester where can I find the details on the event think Ill take the family over be nice to see some of the high buck cars.