that doesnt quite make since to me. how can a pressureized system at ~15 psi suddenly reverse and be in vacuum sucking air? im not saying your wrong its just a question i have?

the process you described does sound like it would work very well, but since our radiator is the lowest part of the system how could you fill it enough to push the air through the bleeders?

 

You should not open the bleeders with the engine running or when the engine is hot. The hot coolant will act like shaken soda when you open a soda bottle. The coolant will bubble up when you open the bleeder and spit out a bunch of air and coolant. Some of the bubbles will stick to engine block like the soda bubbles stick to the side of a glass. Over time the bubbles will reform into an air pocket in the engine. Also the water pump is circulating the coolant around the engine and that can create suction at the bleeders once the pressure is released.

Best bet is to bleed it like Honda recommends in the manual.

Start procedure with a cool engine. Make sure the heater is on full heat (heater fan does not need to be on). Engine off. Remove radiator cap, open bleeders and fill radiator. Close bleeders when they flow a steady stream. Leave cap off and run engine up to operating temperature ( this will open the thermostat and start flow through the radiator ). Check coolant level, install cap, and you are done.

 

nose up in air or level?

 

The manual does not say you have to raise the nose up. I am sure either way will work.

 

Hrmmmm... perhaps our problems were caused by incorrect filling and bleeding procedure.

Let this thread be a resource to others

 

hey guys ive been working on cars for almost 20 years and ive never ever lifted the front of a car to fill the cooling system. i dont believe a manufacturer would design a vehicle that way. i hope! anyway the inside of an engine is not streamline. there are lots of places for air to get trapped, and if you jack up the front you can make it harder to get the air out of any high spots inside your engine.

i definitely dont see coolant vaporizing in the cooling system as antifreeze has a higher boiling point than water and when you pressure a liquid it raises the boiling point even higher. so im pretty sure you can rule that out.

as for the overcooling idea, ive played with my fair share of performance rads and never come across overcooling. the thermostats element sits in the engine side thus using engine coolant temperature to open and close. if the rad is cooler the thermostat will just close sooner during circulation.

if you guys are changing your thermostats i would recommend using oem.

most importantly if the threads dont help and you continue to have an overheating problem, have your car checked out by a professional before any major damage occurs! if they cant fix it take it somewhere else.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

 

i dont know how to have your problem fixed but have some input on my cooling system. i installed a mishimoto rad and a mugen thermostat at the same time, ive never had this problem it seems that my thermostat would open and the car would still be pretty cool and really stay cool to the point that the fan will only kick if idling for a few minutes, nothing to be worried about. its just a really efficient rad. after 3 months the cap started to leak so i replaced with a skunk2 cap, now its back to being good. ive never had the temp spike and i never bled the system through the bleeding point just let it get hot with the cap off until it would almost over flow, did this about 3 or 4 times after the engine would cool.

 

well i do understand that the thermostat is on the engine outlet side of the system, but if these theorys are not right then how am i getting air into the system. this is one question that still can not be answered. i think if we can figure this out we could find the problem. i think i am going to buy an oem radiator to go with my oem stat and that should fix it.

 

Trying to lure in some of my business Duaine?

I'll be working on the car again this Sunday so I'll be re-bleeding as others have instructed me. We'll see how much luck I have. I'll take her for a good drive

Thanks for all the advice guys.

 

if you keep getting air into the system and the car overheated, have you considered the fact that head maybe warped? Why not do a leak down test and see if you can see if there is any air leaking into the coolant system.