Coolant Bleeder stripped. What now?

[schuttie2002]

So it seems my car loves to make me work on it.

Had to replace the radiator a month ago, and now its the rear coolant flange. It was a pain, but I got it done in a few hours.

Now I'm trying to fill it up with coolant and I, like a dummy, stripped the hardline bleeder screw that runs along by the intake mani.

Does anyone have any suggestions to make sure I can get all the air out of the system. I don't want to just run the car for 10 minutes to get it super hot and then hope when I open the coolant tank the air pressure will release and coolant will flow in. That seems like a surefire way to kill the poor 1.8t.

Any suggestions?

[Sales@RAI]

Does anyone have any suggestions to make sure I can get all the air out of the system. I don't want to just run the car for 10 minutes to get it super hot and then hope when I open the coolant tank the air pressure will release and coolant will flow in. That seems like a surefire way to kill the poor 1.8t.

That way works fine. Let it idle until its at normal temp, shut it off pop the cap. It does one huge burp and basically drains the trank to empty once and then your fine

[schuttie2002]

Thanks Clint.

So here's how it went. It went up to temp and then burped, and a bunch pushed out of the bottom of the reservoir. It didn't take much in. I feel like its gotta take more. I've put in 3 liters of 50/50. I'm gonna measure how much I drained now.

Also, there is a smell coming from the turbo that I didn't like so I shut it off. Maybe it is always there, but its almost like burned hair. Has anyone else experience that when the car was just idling in one place for a bit?

[[email protected]]

Thanks Clint.

So here's how it went. It went up to temp and then burped, and a bunch pushed out of the bottom of the reservoir. It didn't take much in. I feel like its gotta take more. I've put in 3 liters of 50/50. I'm gonna measure how much I drained now.

Also, there is a smell coming from the turbo that I didn't like so I shut it off. Maybe it is always there, but its almost like burned hair. Has anyone else experience that when the car was just idling in one place for a bit?

Yeah, don't put your face too close to the turbo or it burns your eyebrows off...

That's what you're smelling

[diagnosticator]

So it seems my car loves to make me work on it.

Had to replace the radiator a month ago, and now its the rear coolant flange. It was a pain, but I got it done in a few hours.

Now I'm trying to fill it up with coolant and I, like a dummy, stripped the hardline bleeder screw that runs along by the intake mani.

Does anyone have any suggestions to make sure I can get all the air out of the system. I don't want to just run the car for 10 minutes to get it super hot and then hope when I open the coolant tank the air pressure will release and coolant will flow in. That seems like a surefire way to kill the poor 1.8t.

Any suggestions?

The stock thread size is 8 mm diameter X 1.0 mm thread pitch. To repair the stripped threads, determine the drill size specified for 10 mm X 1.0 mm or 1.25 mm thread pitch, drill out the stripped threads using the drill for the new 10 mm thread size, then retap the hole using a 10mm X 1.0 mm or 1.25 mm tap. Then install a 10 mm plug in the bleeder hole. Be sure to cut a channel in the plug thread like the original bleeder plug for air to escape with the plug loosened.

Alternatively, buy a Heli Coil thread repair kit for the original 8mm diameter threads, for the correct original thread pitch. The kit will include a special sized drill bit, and a special sized threading tap. Drill and tap the hole using the Heli Coil tools, then use the included Heli Coil insertion tool to turn the stainless Heli Coil threads into the tapped hole, just prepared.
The result will be a stainless thread in the hole that is the same size as the original thread.

[diagnosticator]

Thanks Clint.

So here's how it went. It went up to temp and then burped, and a bunch pushed out of the bottom of the reservoir. It didn't take much in. I feel like its gotta take more. I've put in 3 liters of 50/50. I'm gonna measure how much I drained now.

Also, there is a smell coming from the turbo that I didn't like so I shut it off. Maybe it is always there, but its almost like burned hair. Has anyone else experience that when the car was just idling in one place for a bit?

In case the cooling system still has air trapped someware, or for future reference, I recommend that after refilling the cooling system as much as possible and waiting for the added coolant to slowly work it's way from the tank into the engine/rad/heater, by gravity alone, eventually filling as much as possible without venting, when the coolant level stops decreasing in the tank. At this point, top up the coolant level in the expansion tank as needed, then install the reservoir tank cap loosely, with only enough threads of the cap engaged to prevent the cap from being blown of the tank by any sudden release of trapped air/steam. Next, squeeze the upper (and optionally also the lower) radiator hoses forcefully by hand to help coolant enter the engine block while also encouraging trapped air to move out of air pockets toward the expansion tank. You can feel when the upper rad hose is filled with coolant, as it will feel firmer and harder to squeeze compared to when there is still some air trapped inside the hose. (Besides the feel of the rad hose, you can hear the air/coolant sloshing inside the hose while squeezing when there is still air in the rad hose.) Next, start the engine and run at idle speed for 20 to 30 seconds, then increase the engine speed to ~2000 rev/min until the upper radiator hose starts to feel hot from coolant circulation without any trapped air inside. The heater must be set to full hot setting too. At this stage, with the coolant in the upper hose heating up, decrease the engine speed to regular idle speed and carefully remove the tank cap and top up the coolant level as needed, then replace the tank cap again loosely as before. Now, allow the engine to run at idle speed until the cooling/radiator fan cycles ON at least once then top up the expansion tank again as needed and replace the tank cap and tighten the cap all the way BEFORE turning the engine OFF. Either drive the car of allow the engine to cool down luke warm and only then remove the tank cap to check/top up the coolant level finally if needed.

[schuttie2002]

You guys are making my day.

Diagnosticator, great advice for the bleeder, that's a job for another day, but at least I'll know how to tackle it.
And you advice for getting the last bit of air out of the system was money. I let it idle like you said, than did a round at 1800-2k and then back to idle. Like you said, the fan kicked on and the reservior had dropped significantly. I topped it off and now I feel like I put the same amount is as I took out.

Off to the lady's house and we shall see if it changes in that 5 mile drive.

Let me say this, on one hand it sucks that I've had to do so much wrenching on the a4 lately.
But on the other hand, I woulda never found this forum otherwise and everyone here is so damn helpful. SOOO much better than the mazda forum I used to belong to with my old car.
Appreciate all the help folks!