Radiator bleeder screw solution?

Looks interesting but I would keep the original screw in the tool bag just in case


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Tried it in my GT4. Works, no problems detected. Not sure if the brand is the same, bought mine from England.
/Peter

 

I'd just buy a new 50 cent crush washer.

 

I have one on my 308. Works fine, but hold on to your original...

 

I’m currently using the auto-bleeder in my 328. It works well.

 

Also using the auto bleeder on my Mondial 3.2, works fine.

 

I ordered an auto-bleeder for both the engine side, and the radiator.

Engine side, works 100% great. Radiator - it didn't fit ... different threads. So I'm still using the stock part. But, it's not the fault of the vendor - I have an aftermarket radiator, and I guess the bleed screws are different. One day I'll figure out some brass adapter solution.

Tip: If you ever have to pressure-test your coolant system for air leaks, don't forget to put the factory parts back on. You'll feel a moment of "oh... that was dumb" if you don't.

 

I'm thinking about installing one on the thermostat housing as some air gets trapped in there.

 

Got one on my 328 for awhile, and works fine.
Mine came from our forum friend
http://www.unobtainiumsupply.com

 

If its necessary to constantly bleed air out, it must be getting in somewhere. Surely a constant throughput of air into and out of the system cant be a good thing long-term. It would be better to fix the issue.
On a working system, on my 328 and also Lotus Esprit (exactly the same layout) a small amount of air does build up in the top of the rad after initial bleed but its a finite and small amount and doesnt keep increasing so can stay in there.

 

There was a thread on here sometime ago about these bleeders or maybe Clubscuderia but in England these bleeders are commonly used on domestic central heating systems and were being offered for sale with an adaptor for the different thread by the poster at the time.I have bought one but have not fitted so am unable to pass any judgement at the present time but know they are cheaper to buy from a plumbers merchant directly.

 

I wrote up a thread on these some time ago. Doing a search will bring it up. I’ve had mine for about 4 years or so and it works perfectly. Also another member here sells a kit with the proper thread adapter for adding one to the thermostat housing.

Another automatic radiator air bleeder
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_fid=9080&share_tid=373050&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eferrarichat%2Ecom%2Fforum%2Findex%2Ephp%3Fthreads%2FAnother-automatic-radiator-air-bleeder%2E373050%2F&share_type=t

 

I was waiting for this one.....
There have been discussions on this topic in the past. It seems the 3x8 sucks air into the system through the overflow hose on shutoff. Some folks were mounting an extra fluid catch tank that would catch the fluid that gets burped out and thus suck that fluid back into the system rather than air. I pressurize the system every time I do a coolant flush and have no leaks. This is simply a phenomenon of the cars that the auto bleeder remedies.

 

I am no expert, so am writing this to confirm (or correct) my understanding of how the system works.

The 3x8 expansion tank cap is an “vented” cap (e.g Stant 10231). As I understand it, this means that the cap vents gas or liquid through the cap when the pressure rises to the threshold pressure indicated on the cap (usually 0.9 or 1.1 bar).

The volume and pressure of the coolant and air filling the top half of the coolant tank rises as the engine warms. First the air gets vented, then, if there is too much coolant in the expansion tank, the car pees coolant. The car naturally finds its equilibrium point which is the level of cold coolant in the expansion tank where the car no longer pees when hot. The Owner’s Manual says that this level is about 6 cm below the neck of the expansion tank.

On the opposite side of the cycle, when the vehicle is shut off and engine cools, the expansion tank cap allows gas or liquid to reenter the expansion tank and equilibrate at atmospheric pressure (0 bar). There is no pressure in the system when the expansion tank cap is removed when the engine is cool.

The consequence of this “vented” system is that air is purged as the engine heats and fresh air is ingested back into the expansion tank every time the engine cools. This means fresh corrosive CO2 is introduced every time and, I suspect, using a coolant with lots of corrosion inhibitors is important.

When I first got my car, I had radiator air pocket neurosis and I bled out that small pocket of air all of the time. Eventually I realized the volume stayed constant (didn’t increase over time) and I stopped bleeding because it didn’t seem to matter; the 6 cm air space in the expansion tank seemed to be designed to accommodate the small air pocket in the radiator. If you watch the fluid flow with the expansion tank cap off while the engine is cold, you can see the turbulence in the expansion tank and it is easy to imagine how some air gets into the system and gets trapped in the radiator.

Improper bleeding of the system when changing coolant is a whole different matter. The system will pee a huge amount of coolant. Personally, I have had no problem bleeding the air out of the system the 4 times now that I have changed the coolant and my system reaches an equilibrium (my car: coolant level is 6.5 cm below top of expansion tank). I don’t feel like I need an auto-bleeder.

Again, this is all my understanding/interpretation of how the system works. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

I had one on my GTB years ago. It's easy to understand how it works and for all purposes if it was required by the designers they would have put one in. But none the less they didn't and I used one. After the 1st couple of uses the system stabilized and this unit most likely wasn't needed. But no harm no foul so I left it on and never had a problem with air in the system or over heating.

 

Clark & Clark is just me!
I got my 308 QV a few years ago and love it! Like Verell, I like to design and make products. I'm hoping to make lots more good stuff. I'm working on a 308 cup holder now...
My background is Mechanical Engineering. I work from a home office.

Thanks to everyone who ordered--I appreciate the support!

 

1 inexpensive Target clock
+ 1 inexpensive Clark & Clark shield
= 1 very cool Ferrari garage clock.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

You can go ahead and put me on the list of "people that will probably order this." Trying to grab that bottle of Gatorade I wedge behind the passenger seat gets old.