Keep getting air into my coolant system

[sunrat]

Hello,

Ok, so my car keeps overheating and I can't figure out why. I own a 96 240 btw.

So symptoms:
-Sometimes when I turn the car off, I can hear like a gurgling noise and it seems like the coolant goes into the reservoir.
-Also, I bled the coolant system for about an hour the other day and it was running fine then.
-I'm not getting any heat into the cabin (I don't think the hoses going into the firewall are warm at all)

I also used a head gasket block tester (one that turns from blue to yellow if there is any exhaust being pushed into your coolant system) and it stayed blue. Well, it turned green once but I think I got coolant in there.

I'm thinking it would be a head gasket issue but no mix of coolant/oil.

Any ideas? I'm going to change my radiator cap first before I start tearing things up.

[angel mkiv]

Have you changed the thermostat and water pump ever?

[sunrat]

Yes I have. I'm thinking about getting a new thermostat too.

[sunrat]

Ok well new radiator cap didn't work. Still the same issues.

Would replacing the thermostat even make sense? That can't be the reason it creates air in the system?

[Ilya]

You need to bleed the system. Go drive the car for ten minutes to heat it up. After ten minutes leave the car running and open the bleeder screw, don't take it out, just loosen it until air/coolant is coming out. Repeat until all the air is out. Will take around five attempts. Plus keep your heater oh hot at full blast.

You sir have a toonnnnnnn of air in your system. Make sure you have coolat on hand to ad as soon as that air bubble is out. Also make sure your system is as full as possible before you start bleeding.

The air is probably coming from the fact that you don't have enough coolant in the system so it just gulps up air. I can probably fit a whole gallon of coolant in my car or whatever the size of the autozone coolant bottle is

[sunrat]

You need to bleed the system. Go drive the car for ten minutes to heat it up. After ten minutes leave the car running and open the bleeder screw, don't take it out, just loosen it until air/coolant is coming out. Repeat until all the air is out. Will take around five attempts. Plus keep your heater oh hot at full blast.

You sir have a toonnnnnnn of air in your system. Make sure you have coolat on hand to ad as soon as that air bubble is out. Also make sure your system is as full as possible before you start bleeding.

The air is probably coming from the fact that you don't have enough coolant in the system so it just gulps up air. I can probably fit a whole gallon of coolant in my car or whatever the size of the autozone coolant bottle is


Well, when I was bleeding it out yesterday I added coolant to the point where it was about to overflow. It also started to push out liquid through the bleeder hole.

Maybe you are right because I did get a little bit of heat in the cabin (like for 4 seconds) when I added that little bit of coolant (plus what was already in the system).

I would love to tackle this part of the car but now it seems like I have some leaking gas underneath the gas tank. :(

[Ilya]

Well, when I was bleeding it out yesterday I added coolant to the point where it was about to overflow. It also started to push out liquid through the bleeder hole.

Maybe you are right because I did get a little bit of heat in the cabin (like for 4 seconds) when I added that little bit of coolant (plus what was already in the system).

I would love to tackle this part of the car but now it seems like I have some leaking gas underneath the gas tank. :(

Yeah take care of the dangerous leak first then the coolant.

The way I bleed my car is
-fill up the system with the bleeder screw out until coolant comes out.
-Fill up the overflow can.
-Close the bleeder screw.
-Leave the Radiator cap open.
-Start the car with heater on full blast and hot.
-With in a minute or two Fill up the radiator with some more coolant as it goes down until no more can fit.
-Close the cap before things get too hot.
-Crack screw open but dont take it out, some air should be heard escaping as the pressure inside cooling system builds.
-Do this until the temp gauge reads in the middle, close the bleeder screw
*Go drive the car but dont go too far
*After about 5-10 min, your gauge could climb above the middle, (dont let it get tooo hot)
*Park the car, while its running, crack open the bleeder screw, air will escape, wait till the gauge is in the middle.
-Repeat star blocks a few times.
-Park the car, turn it off, and crack open the bleeder screw, let the air escape for about 10-15 minutes or until it stops.

[Bushido]

KA24DE cooling system is a paint in the ass to bleed.

Buy a coolant swirl pot and it will continually bleed your cooling system.

[SaUcEy]

http://www.tooltopia.com/lisle-24680.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=paid_search_google_pla&scid=scplp6819550&gclid=CjwKEAiA_4emBRCxi8_f2cWWjFcSJAB-v1qy9tRvKWLD-f-ouFv-YwENIeIG0LcsEIPt8kfu9hLDWxoCHbPw_wcB


Best $20 you will ever spend

[omgosh]

An easy way to feel for air in the system:

When car is cool, take radiator cap off.

Block the radiator neck with your palm. Squeeze on the lower radiator hose. You will be able to feel the air bubbles compress when you squeeze the hose. You can also hear air bubbles escaping into the overflow tank.