YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
May work, but I'd rather have something large enough just pour coolant in rather than wait for the system to pressurize enough to push the air out.
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Build 1988 Samurai Turned Buggy
- Thread starter FleshEater
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- suzuki
May work, but I'd rather have something large enough just pour coolant in rather than wait for the system to pressurize enough to push the air out.
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,442
Nothing is in the way. It’s just a lot of money and fittings to make it work.
No one makes 3/4” anything, so I’ll need to adapt it down to fit, then adapt it to my existing hose. So I end up with 10 different things just for this, which may or may not work.
Byro
Lurkin’
My bet is that there is a big pocket in the motor somewhere still. I had a heck of a time with my rear rad and getting it bled. Vacuum filled and haven’t had a problem since. If you have a big ass air pocket in the back of the head it’s not going to come out without at least a little bit of trouble.
Once the system is bled of big air pockets topping off coolant shouldn’t be an issue at all. Or IMHO even necessary, my SBC didn’t get hot and puke coolant and I’m quite fond of the loud pedal. This little thing idling alone should never overheat and if it does there is something wrong, head gasket, etc.
:Edit:
Go the parts store and get an 1/8” npt tank valve drill and tap the top of the t-stat housing for the tank valve, you could burp air as needed.
Once the system is bled of big air pockets topping off coolant shouldn’t be an issue at all. Or IMHO even necessary, my SBC didn’t get hot and puke coolant and I’m quite fond of the loud pedal. This little thing idling alone should never overheat and if it does there is something wrong, head gasket, etc.
:Edit:
Go the parts store and get an 1/8” npt tank valve drill and tap the top of the t-stat housing for the tank valve, you could burp air as needed.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
Nothing is in the way. It’s just a lot of money and fittings to make it work.
No one makes 3/4” anything, so I’ll need to adapt it down to fit, then adapt it to my existing hose. So I end up with 10 different things just for this, which may or may not work.
Dude
Again, you're over thinking it. They make them in every shape, size and style you can think of. You just have to look.
Check out this one. 3/4" barbs and they thread in so you could add a 90* barb and just replace that 90* hose section.
You can swap to a higher pressure cap to ensure it doesn't pop off. ~12 psi is normal, and you can find ~25 or 35 pretty easy
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,445
Doubt that will solve my problem. But I just bought a vacuum filler tonight. From what I have seen this pretty much solves all air issues.
Unless I drain my entire system on a trail, I’ll be fine otherwise. But Byro’s buddy has had his buggy in some of the gnarliest spots and I don’t think he ever dumped two gallons of coolant.
ANYWAYS, got a crawling video. Tried that rock again last night. I’m just not comfortable enough yet to put this in single low and launch it hard.
Unless I drain my entire system on a trail, I’ll be fine otherwise. But Byro’s buddy has had his buggy in some of the gnarliest spots and I don’t think he ever dumped two gallons of coolant.
ANYWAYS, got a crawling video. Tried that rock again last night. I’m just not comfortable enough yet to put this in single low and launch it hard.
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,446
I’m just going to tap the t-stat housing. Install a ball valve of some sort and set it up so if needed, I can slowly add coolant.
Byro
Lurkin’
If I ever build a full on rock ****er it will an air cooled/‘glide/300. Would be even better now with the single barrel Sniper.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
How the **** would putting a cap there not solve the air issue?
I feel like you're just arguing to argue at this point.
Are you serious? You blow a lower hose and basically everything goes out. Seen it so many times on every caliber of rig. Can happen on a flat dirt road or the bottom of a canyon.
I mean do whatever you want, I just can't see why you wouldn't do the most obvious and logical thing to make it super easy to fill.
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,449
So I’m almost certain this isn’t air. I can wheel it for 2 hours and then it will randomly overheat. Air pockets usually instantly create issues.
So I got to looking at rad specs. Something Skully said made me think…he was dealing with overheating using the same rad as me.
I thought I bought a Mishimoto rad from eBay, but I didn’t. It was some ASI rad and is only 1” thick. The Mishimoto factory replacement rad is 2” thick for the 92-00 Civics.
I ordered up the Mishimoto rad, the vacuum filler, a new thermostat, and I’m going to tap the t-stat housing to add a bleeder valve for trail repairs.
Done ****ing with this and done guessing. Taking the ****ty eBay rad out of the equation is also peace of mind long term. I’ll carry it as a spare.
So I got to looking at rad specs. Something Skully said made me think…he was dealing with overheating using the same rad as me.
I thought I bought a Mishimoto rad from eBay, but I didn’t. It was some ASI rad and is only 1” thick. The Mishimoto factory replacement rad is 2” thick for the 92-00 Civics.
I ordered up the Mishimoto rad, the vacuum filler, a new thermostat, and I’m going to tap the t-stat housing to add a bleeder valve for trail repairs.
Done ****ing with this and done guessing. Taking the ****ty eBay rad out of the equation is also peace of mind long term. I’ll carry it as a spare.
I guess nobody told you that Mishimoto radiators are garbage? Guaranteed that thing will crack and leak. Good luck
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,451
Lifetime warranty. I’ll just send it back.
Everything anymore is ****ing garbage. Unless I find a Griffin with this same hook up and size. I did find a Griffin…for $838. I’ll buy two Mishimotos and have a third spare.
This thing is only going to wheel 2-4 times a year.
Byro
Lurkin’
Another friend of mine has been running one and the same style build for quite a few seasons.
Hopefully it works out for him. 🤞
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,454
I mean, I got 3 points of rubber mounts. So hopefully it’s fine. Should have enough support to not work harden and crack.
But even if it does, I can buy 4 of these for the price of one Griffin/similar. This is also in a location where a stick might kill it.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
Why not try and get all the air out before blowing money?
Working fine for 2 hours does sound like too small of a radiator. Sounds like air to me. Sounds like you're doing something at an angle and the air makes its way into the water pump which would make it over heat.
Assuming the fan is working fine?
Working fine for 2 hours does sound like too small of a radiator. Sounds like air to me. Sounds like you're doing something at an angle and the air makes its way into the water pump which would make it over heat.
Assuming the fan is working fine?
chaplinfj60
Well-known member
combo of this funnel and small radiator petcock in line by engine allowed the rad to burb air without a crazy mess and bleed air out of the engine
and my rad is rear. all the way to the back behind the fuel cell. so its far back and high.
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and my rad is rear. all the way to the back behind the fuel cell. so its far back and high.
\
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,457
So the way this system is set up with my expansion tank higher than my rad, my rad higher than my engine, and my vent hose working on the expansion tank, any air would have been pushed out.
I even ran it without a cap on the rad and no bubbles, it was all fine.
I wheeled this all night Saturday night and overheated it once. But it was ALWAYS running at like 215-220, which is way too hot.
Rad fan is sealed up and moving a ton of air (supposedly rated to push 1,155cfm), but this radiator itself is smaller than a factory Samurai rad, which is smaller than a factory Tracker rad.
Skullyota having overheating issues in his bug leads me to believe this eBay rad is a giant POS.
untchabl
I like rocks
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I've got a eBay aluminum radiator for a VW Scirocco in my buggy. Think it's GPI Racing but it's just a cheap $125 radiator with a Spal electric fan. It has no problems keeping my 2.0 cool, don't think I've ever seen it hit 210 degrees even after some rev limiter.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
That's not how it works, you have a big dip in your system. There could be air trapped in the engine and it won't come out.
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,460
Well I figured a bigger rad and vacuum fill will just kill two birds with one stone. The current little rad can be carried as a spare since I can’t return it.
chaplinfj60
Well-known member
i still would go for the air burping. so with that fullen i would fill it up into the funnel. and let it run. it would slowly burb air. then i would shut it off and as it cooled it would suck in more fluid. its crazy how well it works. i cant watch any of these right now but look one or two over. it was worth the effort to do this.
radiator funnel for air pockets - Google Search
radiator funnel for air pockets - Google Search
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,462
It’s working. 100% certain.
YotaAtieToo
Thick skull
Is it blowing the correct direction for what it's designed? Ie: a pusher fan pulling air won't work well.
I get that the rad may be small, but it's an 80hp aluminum 4 cyl, it shouldn't hardly need a radiator to crawl around, especially with an open engine bay and all the extra coolant with a rear rad.
Last edited:
Blase
Well-known member
Very cool to see it going! As others have said you work fast IMO.
I agree with the quote. Seems like it would be enough. And it ran 2 hours at a high temp so something is going on. I'm no expert!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I would think if the rad was too small it would start out of and have a gradual climb to hot. Not 2 hours at a set temp and then over heat.
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,467
Byro
Lurkin’
Also just thought of this your timing isn’t way advanced for whatever reason is it? That will make it run hot too.
I’m standing firm on still got some are in it. Like AtieToo said the dip in the coolant hoses between motor and rad isn’t going to push a big bubble out. Willing to bet there is still air trapped in the back of the head.
I’m standing firm on still got some are in it. Like AtieToo said the dip in the coolant hoses between motor and rad isn’t going to push a big bubble out. Willing to bet there is still air trapped in the back of the head.
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,469
I’m still swapping this rad. I’d rather safe than sorry down the line. No idea if this will keep it cool enough when it’s 90 degrees and it’s revved out going 2 mph.
FleshEater
Cheap Suzuki Guy
- Thread starter
- #1,470
New, bigger rad is in.
The vacuum fill tool I bought from Summit was junk from the word go and didn’t work. So I’m going to have to order a different one.
Filled it up anyways, installed the tank valve on the t-stat housing, let it run for an hour with the rear jacked up, and the rad cap off. Still have air in it, but even with the air that’s trapped somewhere the rad is keeping it at 210. But last night I took it for a spin and after some revs and crawling it was up a little past that.
Also found another issue I need to further inspect. When I was hung up on a rock last night I noticed my whole drivetrain wiggling back and forth. Not sure if I stripped those t-case mount bolts on the bottom when I re-installed the case a week ago, or what. So, yeah…guess it’s better to find it now than after paint.
The vacuum fill tool I bought from Summit was junk from the word go and didn’t work. So I’m going to have to order a different one.
Filled it up anyways, installed the tank valve on the t-stat housing, let it run for an hour with the rear jacked up, and the rad cap off. Still have air in it, but even with the air that’s trapped somewhere the rad is keeping it at 210. But last night I took it for a spin and after some revs and crawling it was up a little past that.
Also found another issue I need to further inspect. When I was hung up on a rock last night I noticed my whole drivetrain wiggling back and forth. Not sure if I stripped those t-case mount bolts on the bottom when I re-installed the case a week ago, or what. So, yeah…guess it’s better to find it now than after paint.
