Cooling System Draining, Filling and Bleeding
Cooling System Draining, Filling and BleedingDraining
WARNING: Never remove the pressure relief cap under any conditions while the engine is operating. Failure to follow these instructions could result in damage to the cooling system or engine or personal injury. To avoid having scalding hot coolant or steam blow out of the cooling system or reservoir, use extreme care when removing the pressure relief cap from a hot cooling system or reservoir. Wait until the engine has cooled, then wrap a thick cloth around the pressure relief cap and turn it slowly until the pressure begins to release. Step back while the pressure is released from the cooling system. When certain all pressure has been released, remove the pressure cap (still with a cloth).
CAUTION: The coolant must be recovered in a suitable, clean container for reuse. If the coolant is contaminated, it must be recycled or disposed of correctly.
CAUTION: Some vehicle cooling systems are filled with Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant VC-4-A (in Oregon VC-5, in Canada CXC-10) or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESE-M971344-A (green color). Others are rifted with Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant VC-7-A (in Oregon VC-7-13) or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSS-M971351-Al (yellow color). Always fill the cooling system with the same coolant that is present in the system. Do not mix coolant types.
NOTE: Less than 80 percent of the coolant capacity can be recovered with the engine in the vehicle, if coolant is contaminated, fill with new coolant.
1. Wrap a thick cloth around the coolant pressure relief cap on the degas bottle. Slowly turn the cap counterclockwise (left) until the pressure begins to release.
2. Step back while the pressure releases.
3. When certain all the pressure has been released. use the cloth to turn and remove the cap.
4. Place a suitable container below the radiator draincock. Drain the coolant.
^ Tighten the radiator draincock when finished. necessary, remove the engine block drain plugs and drain the engine block.
Filling
WARNING: Do not open the cooling system while it is hot or the engine is running. Failure to follow these instructions can result in personal injury.
CAUTION: This engine is equipped with a cold side thermostat. Whenever the engine block or the front or rear (auxiliary) heater cores have been drained, fill and bleed procedures must be carried out in the sequence presented or damage to the engine can occur.
CAUTION: Engine coolant provides freeze protection, boil protection, cooling efficiency and corrosive protection to the engine and cooling components. In order to obtain these protections, the engine coolant must be maintained at the correct concentration and fluid level. When adding engine coolant, use a 50/50 mixture of clean drinkable water and engine coolant.
^ Add Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant VC-4-A (in Canada CXC-10, in Oregon VC-5) meeting Ford specification ESE-M971344-A (green color) or Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant VC-7-A (in Oregon VC-7-13) meeting Ford specification WSS-M9B51. Use the same coolant that was drained from the cooling system. Do not mix coolant types.
^ Do not add orange-colored extended life coolant such as VC-2, meeting Ford specification WSS-M97B44-D. Mixing coolants can degrade the coolant's corrosion protection.
^ Do not add alcohol, methanol, or brine, or any engine coolants mixed with alcohol or methanol antifreeze. These can cause engine damage from overheating or freezing.
^ Do not mix recycled coolant unless it meets the requirements of specification ESE-M97B44-A or WSS-M97B51-Al. Not all coolant recycling processes meet these specifications; use of such coolants can harm the engine and cooling system components.
1. Remove the engine appearance cover.
Rear (Auxiliary) Heater Core Filling
WARNING: Do not open the cooling system while it is hot or the engine is running. Failure to follow these instructions can result in personal injury.
CAUTION: This engine is equipped with a cold side thermostat. Whenever the engine block or the front or rear (auxiliary) heater cores have been drained, fill and bleed procedures must be carried out in the sequence presented or damage to the engine can occur.
1. Remove the pressure relief cap.
2. Prepare to fill the rear heater core.
1 Remove the engine crossover fill plug.
2 Disconnect the heater supply hose from the engine crossover tube.
3 Clamp the front heater
3. Raise the heater supply hose to the maximum possible elevation and, using a funnel, slowly pour approximately 2 liters of coolant into the heater supply hose.
4. Remove the clamp from the front heater core supply hose.
5. Connect the heater supply hose to the engine crossover tube.
6. Install the engine crossover tube fill plug.
7. Install the pressure relief cap and tighten until two audible clicks are heard.
Front Heater Core Filling
1. Remove the pressure relief cap.
2. Prepare to fill the front heater core.
3. Raise the heater supply hose to the maximum possible elevation and, using a funnel, pour approximately I liter of coolant into the hose.
4. Remove the clamp from the rear heater core supply hose.
5. Connect the heater supply hose to the engine crossover tube.
1 Remove the engine crossover fill plug
2 Disconnect the heater supply hose from the crossover tube.
3 Clamp the rear (auxiliary) heater core supply hose below the system supply line tee.
6. Install the engine crossover tube fill plug.
7. Install the pressure relief cap and tighten until two audible clicks are heard.
Engine and Radiator Filling
WARNING: Do not open the cooling system while it is hot or the engine is running. Failure to follow these instructions can result in personal injury.
CAUTION: This engine is equipped with a cold side thermostat. Whenever the engine block or the front or rear (auxiliary) heater cores have been drained, rill and bleed procedures must be carried out in the sequence presented or damage to the engine can occur.
1. Remove the pressure relief cap.
2. Remove the engine crossover fill plug.
3. Add coolant at the engine crossover fill until the level of the coolant in the degas bottle is at the MAX cold fill line.
4. Install the engine crossover fill plug.
5. Install the pressure relief cap and tighten until two audible clicks are heard.
6. Install the engine appearance cover.
Deaeration
WARNING: Do not open the cooling system while it is hot or the engine is running. Failure to follow these instructions can result in personal injury.
CAUTION: This engine is equipped with a cold side thermostat. Whenever the engine block or the front or rear (auxiliary) heater cores have been drained, fill and bleed procedures must be carried out in the sequence presented or damage to the engine can occur.
1. Start the engine.
2. Select the defrost mode on the DATC module.
3. WARNING: If during this time the temperature gauge indicates a hot engine, stop the engine and carry out the front and rear heater core fill procedures to remove trapped air in the system.
Run the engine at 2000 rpm until the thermostat opens (approximately 10-15 minutes) indicated by a drop in the degas bottle coolant level.
4. Set the climate control system to maximum heat and run the engine for an additional 2 minutes at 2000 rpm.
5. After the system has cooled, carefully remove the pressure relief cap.
6. Top off the coolant level to the MAX fill line.
7. Install the pressure relief cap and tighten until two audible clicks are heard.