Introduction: How to Burp Your Car's Cooling System

About: Hi All! I like to learn, Period. It does not matter what it is. I then try to pass any and all knowledge that I find and learn to all of you. Which is why this site is perfect for doing so!

This instructable will walk you through the simple process of "burping" or getting all of the trapped air out of your cars cooling system. This works for ALL Vehicles

If you have had any parts replaced on your cars cooling system (radiator, waterpump, new hoses, ect) then there is a chance that your cooling system has air trapped in it and this could make your cars cooling system operate poorly, or in worst cases minic the symptoms of a cracked  head.

So BEFORE you spend thousands of dollars at the mechanics having this done, try this and see if your cooling system operates normal (temp stays within normal , does not get hot or overheat).

Step 1: Things You Will Need

AnitFreeze or Dex cool, I used the 50/50 water dexcool mix

Spill free funnel ($20.00 on Amazon.com)

Rag to wipe area clean

Time and Patience

Step 2:

Make sure that your overflow tank is at the level of coolant where the line marked "COLD" is, make sure that you car is cold, do not try this with a engine that has been running.

Open your radiator cap, insert the angled peice of the spill free funnel into the correct cap for you car, then the main peice of the funnel on that, Make sure that you have all conections on sung so that there are no leaks.

Step 3:

Now fill the funnel a little past half way, the reason for this is when your cars thermostat opens up the level will rise and drop with the opening and closing of it and with the escaping of the trapped air.

YOUR CAR SHOULD BE OFF, DO NOT START YOU CAR YET!!

Step 4:

Go to your car, and set the climate controll settings to the hot or heat setting but make sure that the fan/heater is in the OFF posistion.

NOW you can start you car.


Step 5:

This is where the waiting happens, your car has to get up to temp so that the thermostat opens up to cool your engine, one this happens you will see the coolant level drop in the funnel, and a few to a large amount of air bubbles comming up from the coolant, this is the trapped air escaping your cooling system.

Sit back and watch this happen while enjoying a cold one, cuase in order to fully Burp your system the engine has to go through SEVERAL COOLING CYCLES........

I gave it the standard hour of running, if you still see air bubble comming out after that, check your overflow tank and make sure it has coolant in it. If it does not add some so the level is at the HOT line (becase you have now been running your car for awhile now).

The bubbles should stop and when it does turn your car off.

Step 6:

Now you will use the plug that came with the Funnel and plug the hole in the funnel so you can recycle or put the unused collant back in its container, do this with the plug in the funnel , put the funnel in the opening of your coolant container and lift up to remove the plug.

Take the funnels cap off of your radiator and put your cap back on, use the rag to wipe any coolant off of your car.

Now when you drive your car you should see a big differance in how it cools your engine. If you are still getting high temp readings  you might want to check to make sure that your thermostat is working and replace it if needed.