Is it possible to avoid the bleed stage by only partially draining the radiator? (i.e. only drain the radiator until the fluid level is just above the level of the bottom hose, and then just top up the radiator.) Sorry in advance if this has been answered already.

 

Why would you want to do that?

 

I just did a coolant change and had absolutely no issues with the bleed. I filled the radiator, left the funnel in the rad. spout ran the car cap off till the fans came on twice...got hot air from the heater fairly quick. (I had to assist the engine with holding a higher idle to get the temp high enough for the fans to come on.) I watched the temps via my PLX and everything was perfect. No hose squeezing, no bleeder screw. This was follow on maintenance for a thermostat, rad hose and fan temp switch change.

 

Less work - 1 min to drain some fluid and top up, rather than the [likely] hour it would take me to do the bleed.

 

Well, if you want to take that attitude, it's even less work to do nothing.

 

Well, if you want to take that attitude, it's even less work to do nothing.
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i bet you'd still get air in the system and need to bleed it. just do it right. i guess oil changes would also be easier to just leave the oil filter on and only change the oil...

darcy

 

Well, if you want to take that attitude, it's even less work to do nothing.
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I feel confident draining and filling coolant. I don't feel confident bleeding the system, because I've never done it before. I'm sure I could learn by following directions, but that's where I'm coming from.

 

Well, if you want to take that attitude, it's even less work to do nothing.
[/quote]

i bet you'd still get air in the system and need to bleed it. just do it right. i guess oil changes would also be easier to just leave the oil filter on and only change the oil...

darcy
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Thanks, I thought that may still be a risk. Although what you're alluding to happens all the time (people changing the oil without changing the filter), so you're not really making your point very well. There's a big spectrum of ways to be lazy, I'm just trying to figure out how far off center this would be

 

Bump for good information from Billman at the beginning of page 2. It really helped me bleed the system after I replaced the radiator, thanks.

 

I flushed my coolant last weekend with Honda type 2 coolant, consumed almost 2 gallons. I had to turn on/off the s2000 about 5 to 6 times to completely bleed the system. In the process of warming up the car the engine would rev up and down constantly and the check engine light turned on. I took the battery cable off and plugged it back on; check engine light turned off and began the process over again until the system was completely bled. After 30 mins the car ran smoothly and I now have blue coolant =)