i have installed a 3.4 engine in my 86 gt, having problems with air in system, any one have any idea's, i have seen a thread on this subject before but can't seem to find it, any help would be great

I am not going to search for the threads. But, you need the back of your car higher than the front. You need to fill from the engine side. I just did mine recently, and have a full coolant system doing it with the rear of the car elevated. I also filled mine without the thermostat. I would fill the coolant to the neck. Run the car for about 5 minutes. Recheck the level, then top off. After a few sets of doing this, I reinstalled my thermostat, and topped off. Obviously be very careful when checking the system after running the engine.

Tony

there are many threads with all sorts of silly methods. you do not need to lift the car.
Aleady did a thread on that, you would need to lift it about 6 feet to get any air in the heater core out.
here is the never fail 5 minute method. (if that)
take radiator cap off.
fill from tstat housing with tstat removed till radiator starts to overflow, then cap the radiator.
continue to fill at tstat til full. put the tstat cap on, still no tstat in.
start car. run for 30 seconds. shut off. top off at tstat. recover tstat. start car run for another 30 seconds and blip the throttle a couple times, to like 3-4k rpm. shut off. remove tstat housing. top off. \
start car blip a few times, shut off, and recheck. it shoudl be almost to the top by now, if not top it off and install the tstat.
recover, fill the reserviour to cold level.
drive happily away. check the reserviour after a few full temp runs to be sure the level is good.
it really is that simple.

Your HEATER should be in the ON/HOT position while you are doing all this !

quote Originally posted by tjm4fun: there are many threads with all sorts of silly methods. you do not need to lift the car. Aleady did a thread on that, you would need to lift it about 6 feet to get any air in the heater core out. here is the never fail 5 minute method. (if that) take radiator cap off. fill from tstat housing with tstat removed till radiator starts to overflow, then cap the radiator. continue to fill at tstat til full. put the tstat cap on, still no tstat in. start car. run for 30 seconds. shut off. top off at tstat. recover tstat. start car run for another 30 seconds and blip the throttle a couple times, to like 3-4k rpm. shut off. remove tstat housing. top off. \ start car blip a few times, shut off, and recheck. it shoudl be almost to the top by now, if not top it off and install the tstat. recover, fill the reserviour to cold level. drive happily away. check the reserviour after a few full temp runs to be sure the level is good. it really is that simple.

This is the way I have done mine in the past. It has worked everytime. The water goes threw the heater core wheather or not the heater is turned on inside a Fiero. So the heater does not have to be on. But if you want to it will not hurt anything.

Joe

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 07-22-2009).]

quote Originally posted by tjm4fun: there are many threads with all sorts of silly methods. you do not need to lift the car. Aleady did a thread on that, you would need to lift it about 6 feet to get any air in the heater core out. here is the never fail 5 minute method. (if that) take radiator cap off. fill from tstat housing with tstat removed till radiator starts to overflow, then cap the radiator. continue to fill at tstat til full. put the tstat cap on, still no tstat in. start car. run for 30 seconds. shut off. top off at tstat. recover tstat. start car run for another 30 seconds and blip the throttle a couple times, to like 3-4k rpm. shut off. remove tstat housing. top off. \ start car blip a few times, shut off, and recheck. it shoudl be almost to the top by now, if not top it off and install the tstat. recover, fill the reserviour to cold level. drive happily away. check the reserviour after a few full temp runs to be sure the level is good. it really is that simple.

I have used this method with good results.

quote Originally posted by Lou6t4gto: Your HEATER should be in the ON/HOT position while you are doing all this !

I hope you're just kidding. You are just kidding, right?

Doesn't make a bit of difference. There is no valve in a Fiero heater core.

No but unless you want heat on you all the time, there is a switch on the system.

quote Originally posted by Kekipi: No but unless you want heat on you all the time, there is a switch on the system.

Okay, I'm getting confused here. What does this have to do with purging air from the cooling system?

roflmao. there is no valve on the water circulation thru the heater core. I don;t think gm had that on any car after the late 60's early 70's, but at anyrate the Fiero has no valve on the coolant side of the heater core. flipping any switch in the climate control only opens a door in the air system to allow air to flow thru the heater core.
As I stated earlier there is NO advantage what-so-ever in elevating any part of the car. use the pump to purge the air, as you would have to hang the car vertically from the rear bumper ot have gravity purge the air.

I did not know that you need the heat on? I guess that I have been doing it wrong all along? (obvious sarcasm)

[This message has been edited by Tony Kania (edited 07-22-2009).]

First insert your airlift attachment into the rad cap/hole.
Then,stick shop air to the regulator on the airlift.
Open valve and pull vacuum on the cooling system till the hoses collapse or 18in/hg
Close valve,remove shop air.
Attach fill hose,put into coolant jug (50/50 mix!)
Open valve to fill system.
Disconnect/detach airlift tool,top off coolant and reinstall rad cap.


That damn airlift kit cost me like $250 off the Matco truck (special order) but it was money well spent.
Shave's lots of time from refilling after service,and i've not had problems with airlocks since.

If your interested in one,i've seen cheaper versions online for around $100.
Don't need alot of air,small pancake compressor will run it.

If your in oklahoma or nearby me then your more than welcome to come by and use it.
As many problem's as the 3.1/3.4 motors have with airlocks and the cooling system I would call it an essential tool if you own one.

quote Originally posted by tjm4fun: there are many threads with all sorts of silly methods. you do not need to lift the car. Aleady did a thread on that, you would need to lift it about 6 feet to get any air in the heater core out. here is the never fail 5 minute method. (if that) take radiator cap off. fill from tstat housing with tstat removed till radiator starts to overflow, then cap the radiator. continue to fill at tstat til full. put the tstat cap on, still no tstat in. start car. run for 30 seconds. shut off. top off at tstat. recover tstat. start car run for another 30 seconds and blip the throttle a couple times, to like 3-4k rpm. shut off. remove tstat housing. top off. \ start car blip a few times, shut off, and recheck. it shoudl be almost to the top by now, if not top it off and install the tstat. recover, fill the reserviour to cold level. drive happily away. check the reserviour after a few full temp runs to be sure the level is good. it really is that simple.

will this way work on a motor swap? to be more specific, the 3500?

quote Originally posted by DefEddie: First insert your airlift attachment into the rad cap/hole. Then,stick shop air to the regulator on the airlift. Open valve and pull vacuum on the cooling system till the hoses collapse or 18in/hg Close valve,remove shop air. Attach fill hose,put into coolant jug (50/50 mix!) Open valve to fill system. Disconnect/detach airlift tool,top off coolant and reinstall rad cap. That damn airlift kit cost me like $250 off the Matco truck (special order) but it was money well spent. Shave's lots of time from refilling after service,and i've not had problems with airlocks since. If your interested in one,i've seen cheaper versions online for around $100. Don't need alot of air,small pancake compressor will run it. If your in oklahoma or nearby me then your more than welcome to come by and use it. As many problem's as the 3.1/3.4 motors have with airlocks and the cooling system I would call it an essential tool if you own one.

how far are you from oklahoma city? edmond to be exact. if your not to far from okc, you should come up to one of our fiero meets. usually the first sunday of the month at 3pm to 4pm. PM me if you want to know more.

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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987 | My Fiero Fuel Economy | MPG Display for OBD I
Youtube Videos of My GT | 87 GT Inside Test Run | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 01
3500 Fiero GT Test Run 02 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 03 | 3500 Fiero GT Test Run 04
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
screw paying those bastards. im not going to become rich by paying for things.....

I'm actually near the eastern border in sallisaw,closer to Fort smith,arkansas.
It's about 3hrs to the city.
We do go to the city fairly often though,i'll see if I can make a meet sometime.

Need to buy one probably first also,haven't popped that cherry yet-still looking.

You don't need to turn on the heater. Turning on the heater just re-routes the air moving through the HVAC system. This has no bearing whatsoever on coolant flow.

The method described by tjm4fun works for me. However, I don't bother with the radiator cap. I just do the fill and rev procedure. After 3-4 cycles, it's usually full. Then I put a little extra coolant into the reservoir, just in case.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 07-23-2009).]