Cooling System Filling
STANDARD PROCEDURE - COOLING SYSTEM FILLINGWARNING: MAKE SURE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM IS COOL BEFORE REMOVING PRESSURE CAP OR ANY HOSE. SEVERE PERSONAL INJURY MAY RESULT FROM ESCAPING HOT COOLANT. THE COOLING SYSTEM IS PRESSURIZED WHEN HOT.
CAUTION: Do not use well water, or suspect water supply in cooling system. Use only a 50/50 mixture of the specified ethylene glycol type antifreeze/coolant and distilled water.
1. Close radiator drain cock by turning the stem clockwise to the 3 o'clock position. Hand tighten only.
2. Install engine block drain plugs, if removed.
WARNING: WHEN INSTALLING DRAIN HOSE TO AIR BLEED VALVE ON THERMOSTAT HOUSING, ROUTE HOSE AWAY FROM ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT, ACCESSORY DRIVE PULLEYS, AND ELECTRIC COOLING FAN MOTORS.
3. Attach one end of a 6.35 mm (0.250 inch) ID clear hose that is approximately 1200 mm (48 inch) long, to the bleed valve in the outlet housing. Route the hose away from the accessory drive belt, drive pulleys and electric cooling fan. Place the other end of hose into a clean container. The hose will prevent coolant from contacting the accessory drive belt when bleeding the system during the refilling operation.
4. Open the cooling system bleed valve:
^ 2.7L: Located on the water outlet connector at the front of engine.
^ 3.2/3.5L: Located on the lower intake manifold, left of center and below the upper intake plenum.
5. Attach Special Tool 8195, Filling Aid Funnel to pressure bottle filler neck.
6. Use the supplied clip to pinch overflow hose that connects between the two chambers of the coolant bottle.
CAUTION: Do not mix coolants. If coolant is used other than specified, a reduction in corrosion protection will occur.
7. Pour a 50/50 mix of Mopar Antifreeze/Coolant, 5 Year/100,000 Mile Formula and distilled water into the larger section of Filling Aid Funnel (the smaller section of funnel is to allow air to escape).
8. Slowly fill the cooling system until a steady stream of coolant flows from the hose attached to the bleed valve .
9. Close the bleed valve and continue filling system to the top of the Filling Funnel.
10. Remove clip from overflow hose.
11. Allow the coolant in Filling Funnel to drain into overflow chamber of the pressure bottle.
12. Remove Special Tool 8195, Filling Aid Funnel. Install cap on coolant pressure bottle.
13. Remove hose from bleed valve.
14. Start engine and run until it reaches operating temperature.
NOTE: The engine cooling system will push any remaining air into the coolant bottle within about an hour of normal driving. As a result, a drop in coolant level in the pressure bottle may occur. If the engine cooling system overheats and pushes coolant into the overflow side of the coolant bottle, this coolant will be sucked back into the cooling system ONLY IF THE PRESSURE CAP IS LEFT ON THE BOTTLE. Removing the pressure cap breaks the vacuum path between the two bottle sections and the coolant will not return to cooling system.
15. Shut off engine allow it to cool down. This permits coolant to be drawn into the pressure chamber.
16. With engine COLD, observe coolant level in pressure chamber. Coolant level should be within MIN and MAX marks. Adjust coolant level as necessary.
NOTE: The coolant bottle has two chambers. Coolant will normally only be in the inboard (smaller) of the two. The outboard chamber is only to recover coolant in the event of an overheat or after a recent service fill. The outboard chamber should normally be empty. If there is coolant in the overflow side of the coolant bottle (after several warm/cold cycles of the engine) and coolant level is within MIN and MAX marks, disconnect the end of the overflow hose at the fill neck and lower it into a clean container. Allow coolant to drain into the container until emptied. Reconnect overflow hose to fill neck.