I had to change out my heater core as it was leaking on the carpet... I have filled this system with coolant at least 5 different times and at least the last 4 of those I had a leverlock cap on the radiator. This is the first time I realized that I could use it to "burp" the system without spilling coolant out of the radiator. If you start with an empty or nearly empty coolant overflow reservoir you can simply use the lever on the radiator cap to open the system and let trapped air and some coolant flow into the overflow reservoir. Procedure: start by filling the radiator until it is nearly full. Put the leverlock cap on with the lever down and the radiator sealed. Then fill into the rear coolant port until it is full. Lift the lever on the radiator cap and let the excess air and a little coolant go into the overflow reservoir then lower the lever. Top the rear port again and repeat a couple of times. Put the rear coolant cap on sealed. Start the engine and let the heater lines purge of air. Only run the engine for about 30 seconds so it does not get the coolant hot yet. Release any air in the radiator into the overflow reservoir again and top the rear port. This time put the thermostat in and then make sure both caps are on all the way. Drive the car around until warm and be sure to watch the temp gauge just in case a big air pocket did not clear out. Now carefully lift the lever on the radiator cap and let the trapped air and hot fluid run into the overflow reservoir until it reaches the "full" line. Let the engine cool down and if the coolant overflow reservoir starts to empty back into the system, just add enough into the overflow reservoir to keep the coolant level between the add and full mark. Do not let it empty as that will let air back into the system. The next couple of times you drive keep a sharp eye on the temp gauge and verify that you still have the correct level of coolant in the overflow reservoir. If it stays pretty consistent you should be good to go. This has probably been done by many already but just in case, there you have it.

Charlie

Ive never thought about doing that, I was always afraid of burping the system so I have never opened up the radiator or rear port on the engine since I bought the car last Feb, I just filled it through the reservoir since it was at the add mark, so I didnt have to go through the burping procedure, very nice write up

Sometimes the most useful ideas are the ones right in front of your nose. Nice write up. Very practical.

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1988 GT

[This message has been edited by Vernon8360 (edited 02-11-2010).]

Not to open a big can of worms here, but is the lever cap you are using non-vented?
Lots of info about this in Ogre's cave.

Kevin

quote Originally posted by Lambo nut: Not to open a big can of worms here, but is the lever cap you are using non-vented? Lots of info about this in Ogre's cave. Kevin

No can-o-worms that I can see

This is the correct cap for the Fiero of all years with the exception that it is the Lev-R-Vent version. It has the vent that is held in place with a small spring so coolant cannot just flow into the overflow reservoir tank without being under a certain amount of pressure. Then it allows the fluid to flow back into the system as the system cools off and a vacuum is created. I will grab a part number... Stant 11330.

Charlie

[This message has been edited by cptsnoopy (edited 02-12-2010).]

quote Originally posted by cptsnoopy: No can-o-worms that I can see This is the correct cap for the Fiero of all years with the exception that it is the Lev-R-Vent version. It has the vent that is held in place with a small spring so coolant cannot just flow into the surge tank without being under a certain amount of pressure. Then it allows the fluid to flow back into the system as the system cools off and a vacuum is created. I will grab a part number... Stant 11331.

You actually are running the wrong cap, you should be running a 11330. All of the Stant catalogs incorrectly list the xxx31 series of caps, and have for years. You can read in Ogre's Cave about this as well. http://home.comcast.net/~fierocave/

[This message has been edited by Hulki U. My-BFF (edited 02-11-2010).]

Lol, my bad, I have the right cap on the car. In my rush to put that part number on the thread I just used what came up on csk.com. Post is now edited to show the correct cap. The difference is that the vent cap on the 11331 is not held up by a spring, it just flops loose on the cap and lets water gravity feed into the coolant overflow reservoir. The 11330 (like the one I have) has a little spring to hold the vent up against the cap and prevent the free flow of coolant into the coolant overflow reservoir. Thanks for catching that error!

Charlie

[This message has been edited by cptsnoopy (edited 02-12-2010).]