nerraw117
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Looking to get a vacuum coolant refill. Seems like the oem brand on amazon for 80ish seems to check all the boxes. Opinions?
Vacuum coolant fill
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theoldwizard1
Well-known member
I have never used or NEEDED one !
I've never needed one until a few years ago. I spent at least an hour getting the air out of a heater core - and never again. It's on my list of things to buy. On some vehicles it's a necessity due to the system layout.
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I bought the Harbor Freight (Maddox) it works fine. The Airlift is supposedly one of the better ones out there.
ETA this one https://www.cpsproducts.com/product-details/550000/
ETA this one https://www.cpsproducts.com/product-details/550000/
toddmorr
Well-known member
How did you know the heater core still had air?
Airlift here, works good. The hardest one I have to purge the air from is my Ford F-450 6.7L diesel. The Ford 6.7 has 2 separate cooling systems... I have a dodge Cummins and Chevy Vortec trucks too which can be a pain as well, my Toyota is a piece of cake compared to these other 3 when they need filled, especially when they are starting from empty...
You keep commenting this and people keep telling you new engines require it. So if someone is asking for information about one how is this helpful?
toolenthusiast
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You haven’t worked on many modern cars, then. When the workshop manual specifies an airlift you’d damned well better have one.
danielbuck
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I have a small one (about 2 quarts?) that I hook up to my air supply for vacuuming brake lines, made by Mityvac. I generally dislike things made of plastic but I like the quality and thickness of the material on the mityvac, seems like it would last a very long time. They make them in a variety of sizes, not sure what size would be needed for coolant work.
My GF's landrover, everyone says to vacuum out the engine oil from the top, but I've never done that, I just remove the skid plate and drain it conventionally. I think on alot of modern cars vacuuming out fluids is common.
My GF's landrover, everyone says to vacuum out the engine oil from the top, but I've never done that, I just remove the skid plate and drain it conventionally. I think on alot of modern cars vacuuming out fluids is common.
I've done a lot of coolant flushes on modern cars (for a home DIYer) and never needed one until a few years ago. Once done, I'd refill and always run them with the radiator cap off in the driveway, add coolant, and I guess I lucked out - because the heater core is still full, or mostly full, of coolant when I did a flush. I changed the water pump on my Tacoma 10? years ago, flushed the coolant, no real issues with air. A few years ago I changed the heater hoses, water pump, thermostat.... and I REALLY struggled to get the air out of the heater core. I'm not exaggerating that I was "kneading" the hoses for at least an hour until I finally got the air out. It was a total PITA and I guess I need to buy that Airlift before this happens again. Because even though I have more time than money at this stage in my life, spending it squeezing hoses isn't how I like to spend it. And luckily it was nice weather when I had my trouble; if it was 30F outside....
toyotadriver
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I changed and filled coolant for years without one. Bought one and now I almost wonder how I got along without one. One of the handiest tools I own. My air powered vacuum brake bleeder/suction tool is also a fantastic and super handy tool.
Nothing in this post should be misunderstood, interpreted, misinterpreted, or construed to be of a political nature.
Nothing in this post should be misunderstood, interpreted, misinterpreted, or construed to be of a political nature.
toyotadriver
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But if you had one, you would love it. So, get out of the stone ages and come join the rest of us.
Nothing in this post should be misunderstood, interpreted, misinterpreted, or construed to be of a political nature.
So you say, every time someone asks. For people who work on modern stuff, they're necessary. Even where not strictly required, they're faster, easier, and more reliable than a funnel. I don't care if you want to live in the stone age, but bragging about it seems a little peculiar. There's plenty of stuff where if you don't use a vacuum filler, you can't do the job right; there's plenty of diesels where you're buying an engine if you don't use one.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
I have the astro pneumatic vac filler and pressure tester kit. After 7-8 years, I damaged a plastic connection on the vacuum refiller portion.
I bought the above as it seemed to be a direct replacement for my Astro kit. Pull half of your target vacuum, prime the fill hose, re vacuum to ~0.9bar, fill.
I bought the above as it seemed to be a direct replacement for my Astro kit. Pull half of your target vacuum, prime the fill hose, re vacuum to ~0.9bar, fill.
Been wanting to buy a kit to do this. Any harm with collapsed hoses or anything?
I only work on Honda & Toyota vehicles so I don't think this is quite needed (at least the service manuals don't call for it) but would like to try it out.
I only work on Honda & Toyota vehicles so I don't think this is quite needed (at least the service manuals don't call for it) but would like to try it out.
Ive never had a problem with them. A few weeks ago ZK had a post about using one on some clapped out ride and it caused radiator leaks. I can see how it could happen.
My AirLift has been good other than the fact that Im on my 3rd vacuum gauge for it.
MarineScott
Well-known member
Bought mine from Cornwell Tools, not sure who makes it, but well worth having one, especially when I was flat rate
I'll probably hold off then. Pretty much every Honda I've ever had you just fill the neck up all the way and they're fairly good at self bleeding with the radiator cap loosely on there.
Some of these other vehicles sound like legitimate nightmares to get the air out any other way... I do see how if you're filling a million different vehicles a day they'd make a lot of sense real quick.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
If the vacuum fill damages things, especially when vacuum filling is specifically called out in service info, the part in question needed replaced.
That said, on straight junkers, I use the funnel when I can. Sometimes you need to just vacuum fill and accept the POS might need the neglected cooling system fixed.
That said, on straight junkers, I use the funnel when I can. Sometimes you need to just vacuum fill and accept the POS might need the neglected cooling system fixed.
Not sure but they look like the same ones made for Snap On, Mac Tools, and Matco. I preferred the cap style to the universal rubber cone style filler.
SVTSRAD272A – Vacuum Cooling System Filler – Snap-on Radiator Tools
Snap-on Tools
www.snaponradiatortools.com
CSR202 Cooling System Refiller (Uses Adapters) - Mac Tools Radiator Tools
MSM-300CRA Vacuum Assist Coolant Refill Kit (uses adapters) - Cornwell Quality Tools
signcrafter
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Cool. If I remember right you have also stated you don't do much work on vehicles anymore. Especially newer ones draining the coolant system. So ya, you probably have never ran into anything that needed one. But for those of us working on newer stuff you need one. So why comment on every coolant thread that YOU have never needed one when it's a needed tool on certain vehicles.
And if I also remember right you were an engineer for Ford fuel injection or something. Would think a vehicle engineer would be all about doing things right. But then again engineers are the ones that are designing these vehicles and have zero idea what it takes to work on them.
Oh no as an engineer I'm offended. Joking.
Do these modern cars specify vacuum bleeding out of curiosity. Every Honda I've ever worked on I just follow the book procedure which is manual.
Just wondering for the future if I dabble with something more exotic.
These don't pull fluid out of system it draws a vacuum (extracts air from system) and the vacuum pulls fluid into system (fills it) without leaving any air pockets.
Never used one until I got my S1000RR. I replace the antifreeze in my sport bikes with distilled water and some water wetter every spring for track duty. My previous CBR called for a manual fill and purge, but the S1000RR factory service manual specified vacuum filling, and so did most everyone I know who's worked on one. Trapped air causing overheating and coolant puke is pretty common when trying to manually fill and burp the system on this bike. And coolant puke at the track is a bad time for everyone. So I bought a vacuum filler on sale from here for about $60:
It works great. So great, I've used it on my wife's Kia minivan and Suzuki SX4. Even if it's not needed, it makes the work so much faster and easier, and isn't that the point of having a tool?
Pic of the filler in action when I bought it:
It works great. So great, I've used it on my wife's Kia minivan and Suzuki SX4. Even if it's not needed, it makes the work so much faster and easier, and isn't that the point of having a tool?
Pic of the filler in action when I bought it:
vacuum filling is specified for a fair number of cars; it's especially common on modern diesels. there are cars where the high point of the cooling system is higher than the radiator cap or expansion tank fill, so there's no way they can be filled statically. Even where the radiator fill is the highest point in the cooling system, it's possible to have spots where the inlet and outlet are low, and air can get trapped; many heater cores are like that. Some of them can be filled by statically filling, and letting circulation carry the trapped air out, some can't. it also matters where that air is. trapped in heater core, not big deal, except the heat doesn't work. Trapped in a cylinder head, EGR, etc? Bad news indeed, and an engine can suffer catastrophic damage very quickly due to localized overheating.
Even on a completely old fashioned system, vacuum filling lets you fill the system once, without running the car long enough for the thermostat to open and let trapped air out. If you've got shop air, a vacuum fill is faster than fill, wait for a gulp of air, refil, wait some more.
for a home gamer, this is probably not a requirement (unless you're working on a vehicle that requires one), but for a shop, there's no excuse not to use one. They're not expensive, and they're often part of pressure testing kits. (I have an astro kit, which includes cap adapters for lots of stuff, a cap testing dohicky, the pressure tester, and the vacuum fill. It's about $200, expensive for diy, but cheap as essential shop equipment goes.)
signcrafter
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Sorry, wasn't really trying to offend engineers. It's just old wizard makes this same comment on every coolant thread and it has zero relevance. I work on a bunch of vehicles and there are tools "I have never needed" because I've never done a certain repair to a certain car. But if I see a thread asking about a tool I've never needed I read the thread and learn something I may run into down the road. I don't make a silly comment about how I never needed that tool because I never did that repair on that particular vehicle. And engineers are usually by the book type people that like to follow the repair manual.
A fair amount of vehicles require them to get all the air out. Things like rear heat and other cooling system designs can make bleeding difficult. The days of filling and let run with radiator cap loose until air is purged are gone. Some vehicles you can get away with it. But once you use a vacuum filler you will use it on everything. First it lets you check for leaks when you vacuum it down. Then it fills the whole system in a minute with no air bubbles to purge. No running an engine up to temp and whatnot. I use it on almost every vehicle now. And with options less then 100 bucks there is no reason to just say "I've never needed one".
ThePostman
Well-known member
I used the spill free funnel for the longest time, until I started working on all makes and models. Many service manuals specifically state that a vacuum fill must be done. There are also many cases where there is no radiator cap, and everything happens at the expansion tank, and sometimes they are covered by the cowl (Ford), leaving no room for a funnel unless you put together an extension made up of various pipes and elbows. I have the Matco version of the 3 linked above, but with the 2 universal cones. It is such a time and pain saver. Just remember to set the temperature setting to heat on the vehicle. I only wish I got the one that attached to pressure tester adapters. I ran into a pathfinder last week where I could not draw a vacuum because of the way the interior of the radiator neck was designed, and I was not about to go shaving down the cones for this. I bought mine new off eBay for 190 shipped. Oh and there's an axle nut tied to the end of the charge hose at the strainer, otherwise it will want to float.
Willie Makeit
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I have the AirLift unit and the time it saves is worth the cost of admission. I mostly work on OLDER stuff and have found this tool to be one of the handiest things I own.
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zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have had an AirLift for about 20-years now and probably one of the most used tools in my shop.
Even on older systems that don't "require" it, I still insist on using it as I feel I can verify a repair and/or verify there isn't a leak long before wasting time or coolant by just filling.
Even on older systems that don't "require" it, I still insist on using it as I feel I can verify a repair and/or verify there isn't a leak long before wasting time or coolant by just filling.
BombShelter
Well-known member
I work on a variety of engines and don't have one but I'd love to get one. I can always massage out a few more air bubbles squeezing on the upper hose, it makes me wonder how much air is trapped higher up.
Thanks for the suggestions, looks like the CTA or Schwaben are now on my shopping list.
Thanks for the suggestions, looks like the CTA or Schwaben are now on my shopping list.
bctexas
Well-known member
My '05 Crown Victoria's shop manual specifies use of the vacuum coolant fill, so I purchased one - the MityVac MITMV4533. Works great. In fact, the shop manual also states that you must pull a vacuum on the power steering in order to properly purge it after repairs. I had a pressure sensor fail on the ps rack, and after replacing it I was able to use the MityVac tool to pull a vacuum on the ps reservoir while bleeding it. Worked just fine!
Happy Motoring!
Happy Motoring!
I don't remember seeing that question in the OP
purplezr2
Well-known member
This is how most OEMs fill their vehicles. I would say in general OEMs don't designs systems to be easily bled.
They work awesome and usually will show you if you have a leak path as well, though not always.
Just cause you have never needed on, doesn't mean they don't have a place. Two systems I can thing of that are hard to get bled are Audi A4 due to the heater hose arrangement, and snowmobiles. Vacuum bleeder makes it easy. Also very clean as well.
I have two, I have a AirLift II and a Astro tools master kit.
Both work well.
MrPink
Well-known member
My VW specifies vacuum bleeding the coolant system. I however did not and got lucky i got all the air out. I have a vac bleeder on my list of things to buy still.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Things like front radiators on rear/mid engined cars also are perfect for vacuum filling.