They're usually on the top, at the side, but there's nothing there. How can I bleed the radiator?
2006-11-05 21:05:05 · 5 answers · asked by Michael H 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
If there is no purge valve on the thermostat housing, the intake, or anywhere else, then you will have to bleed it at the radiator cap. With the engine cold; fill the radiator up to just above the top tube in the radiator. This should be to within an inch of the top of the radiator. You need to have the vehicle on a level surface or with the rear of the vehicle just slightly down hill. In most cases; if the radiator cap is higher than the thermostat housing, you don't need a purge valve. The air will work its way to the highest point in the engine, or radiator. Run the engine until the thermostat opens; you can tell this by the top and bottom radiator hoses will be hot to the touch. Top off the radiator with coolant mix, reinstall the radiator cap, fill the overflow tank to the full line, and you are done. It would help to know what your vehicle is, the engine size, the year, etc; to be able to look it up in a repair manual. If you cannot find a purge valve, don't mean it doesn't have one. You might check your owners manual, but if it has a purge valve and you don't bleed it there, it will over heat, and can damage the engine, or cause a hot spot in the engine. It would over heat, be ok for a while, then over heat again.
I hope I have been of some help. Good Luck!!!
part 2.
obviously some of these people on here are not mechanics, and have never seen a purge valve on a car... ha ha that is just too funny!! I'm not talking about a home radiator dude. You need to call the service manager at the Honda Dealership, and he will tell you what a radiator purge (bleeder) valve is. The guy asking the question knows what he's talking about. The plug at the bottom of the radiator is a drain plug to drain the coolant out of the radiator with, it is better known as a pitcock. I'm sorry but I have to laugh at some of these silly answers, they are too much!!!
2006-11-05 21:27:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A bleed valve is always at the top, on one end. If there is none, you may have a radiator that was converted from steam unless you DO have a steam furnace--they don't use bleed valves. If it was steam converted to water, it might have been missed--should have been put in. There's either a slotted plug or a pad with a "centerpunch" dimple moulded in. Sometimes it's easier to drill and tap the blank pad (even if it's right next to the valve, in which case you have to remove the valve to do it) than to get the plug out. If there is no bleed valve and you're sure it's a hot water system, you can loosen the collar nut holding the valve to the radiator a bit (not the big thinner nut right against the radiator) until it dribbles water. Keep a rag handy. Then tighten it again. That'll work until you get a bleed valve installed. You have to drain the water down to below the level of the radiator before completely removing the inlet valve or putting a bleed valve in.
2006-11-06 05:41:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If your speaking about a home water radiator, of course it's on top, water runs downhill but, air is on top, silly you. This is what you want to "bleed out' the air. There has to be a valve on top somewhere unless someone before you broke it off. If this is the case your going to have to shut down the system and re-drill the hole out and re-tap it. Maybe a friend that knows what they're doing?
You'll have to do this eventually to release the air or the water won't circulate, you'll have cold radiators.
If it is the auto, it's on the bottom somewhere, when refilling use the environmental friendly or safe fluid that's non-toxic to animals. Look for the butterfly valve, be careful it breaks easy, "lefty loosy-righty tighty" wait 'till it's cool then release the top cap after you loosen the bottom buterfly valve.
2006-11-06 05:30:11 · answer #3 · answered by cowboydoc 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Mike they are never on top or side.. ....Water runs down hill remember...Look underneath the rad...It will be a butterfly valve...you turn it counter clockwise usually...Have a pail ready..ok? Don't let any dogs near it...It's sweet to them, but, highly toxic and a painful death.....You may need a pair of plyers to get it started....Good luck...Yukoneze
2006-11-06 05:19:28 · answer #4 · answered by yukoneze 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Look on the bottom left above the weld.Should be a plastic looking plug that screws out.
2006-11-06 05:07:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋