Some of you may have one of these but thought I'd share anyway. It's a coolant fill funnel that works on most any model car. Makes burping much easier and cleaner. Use it on my Fieros when I need to put coolant back in. The angled adaptors are really nice on the 4cyl. This picture is on my Toyota. There are several brands on Amazon starting at $19. All stores in the funnel.

[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 04-23-2024).]

So... it'll fit on the thermostat housing?

The ones we have do not, but we have had them for a while....

I don't understand how this coolant fill funnel could be of any use on a Fiero... unless the front of the car is raised so much that the rad cap becomes the highest point of the cooling system.

You still want the front low. It just make pouring coolant in much easier, and when it starts getting full blipping the throttle will not overflow out the fill over the engine or when a large burp occurs it does not runover, it just comes back up into the funnel.
Sure you don't have to have one but it's just handy in many situations.

[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 04-23-2024).]

Rory, in 25 almost 30 years of owning (too many) Fieros, I don't think I've ever poured coolant in the radiator. Seriously!

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 04-23-2024).]

We burp the cooling system with the car on a level surface.
Check coolant recovery tank connections and fill to COLD mark.
When filling system, leave front cap off and fill through thermostat neck on the engine.
When coolant reaches the radiator neck, install and tighten the radiator cap.
Continue filling through thermostat housing until full, install cap on thermostat housing.
Start and run engine for 10 seconds.
Remove thermostat cap and refill, install cap.
Repeat start and run.
Recheck coolant level at housing.
When full,install thermostat and cap.

It usually takes two start and recheck cycles to top off the system.

Works every time.

I concur with Patrick statements on this coolant 'burping' tool on a Fiero and olejoedad antifreeze/coolant procedure...........

I'll merely offer to add on his procedure:

*Run the engine to reach operating temperature and cool it down at least one cycle before driving the car on a long trip which will purge any air left in the radiator.

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Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles

quote Originally posted by Vintage-Nut: I concur with Patrick statements on this coolant 'burping' tool on a Fiero and olejoedad antifreeze/coolant procedure........... I'll merely offer to add on his procedure: *Run the engine to reach operating temperature and cool it down at least one cycle before driving the car on a long trip which will purge any air left in the radiator.

We do 25 mile test drives after working on customer cars, only topping off has been to the recovery tank.

The method ensures that both undercar coolant tubes, the radiator and the block is full of liquid. The only air pockets are in the heads.

Here is a tip guys. I worked for Kenworth for a number of years and the big truck diesels require vacuum filling to eliminate any chance of air trapped. Snap-on sells a simple little unit that operates on shop air and creates total vacuum like you would for AC. Once you create the vacuum you turn the valve with the suction hose in the pail of antifreeze mix and it will fill the system very quickly and there will be no air in the system unless you have an external leak in one of the hoses. Very fast and efficient way to totally fill any cooling system. The kit has various adaptors for almost any cooling system. sleek

The tool @ top will not fit a Fiero rad unless the Hood is removed even then likely won't work.
If you mod it to fit the T-stat tube, might help but little point for the money.

Vac Filling is only needed in some truck & car models. 0% help for Fiero & many others. Vac Filling "solves" iffy to bad design that won't get the air out of the coolant system in the normal ways as Many Thousands of models have been doing for 100+ Years.

As to "Burping" in other ways...
Just follow the direction in the cave & be done w/ it.
https://web.archive.org/web...erocave/coolfill.htm

Just make sure Non-vent rad cap.

I too fill coolant in the back only. You just leave the Rad Cap Off until that's full then cap it then add more until rear is full. You don't need Level Ground but affect how fast the rad is full. Example: parked "nose down" small hill then Rad will fill up & need its cap sooner but will use same Total coolant load.

That is about same way as GM filled the car.

If doing w/o help & don't want to repeatedly check rad is full... any moisture/water alarm can tell you is full. Very basic 1 transistor/mosfet w/ light bulb or buzzer alarm is enough for that job.

The vehicle is Safe to Drive w/ some air in the system. Will purge the rest of air in 1 to a few heat cycles. I make sure the overflow tank is @ add mark cold minimum because pull the extra when cold again. Otherwise the Add & Full marks are only when Hot sim rules to nearly all AT Oil Dipstick.

If you Fail doing that method, Something is Way Wrong allowing air to get Into the system even if No Coolant leaks out Or Coolant system has other problems & just claim "got air in it..."

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave