The inlet from the expansion tank, AN8 or 10, MUST come from the lowest practicable pressure and coolant temp location. This is normally right at the water pump input/face of the pump impeller. At that point, the coolant has traveled from the hottest point in the system, the top of the intake manifold/thermostat to the radiator
The inlet from the expansion tank, AN8 or 10, MUST come from the lowest practicable pressure and coolant temp location. This is normally right at the water pump input/face of the pump impeller. At that point, the coolant has traveled from the hottest point in the system, the top of the intake manifold/thermostat to the radiator, been cooled, and returned back to the rear of the car to be pumped through the engine again to absorb heat.
The bleed system MUST deliver the air from the highest points in the system where the air will collect, the top of the radiator tanks, the top of the intake manifold, and the rear of the heads at the intake manifold where the heads water ports are exposed, back to the expansion tank. BUT the size of the lines in the bleed system must not cause a bypass effect so they should not be larger than AN-4. Big enough to bleed air out but not big enough to interfere with the correct coolant flow throughout the engine.
I have placed a bleed line from the very top of the thermostat housing to the expansion tank, the rear of the heads, and both sides of the radiator tops. This system works so well that if I drain the system to take the engine out of the car for example I simply fill the system back up from the radiator cap and let the bleed system bleed all the air out without any other additional procedures/ Works perfectly every time.
You can try anything you want to but the above is the most effective way. LS engines and 4-valve fords have sightly different internal plumbing but the basics of how this all works remain the same.
The purpose of the expansion tank is to allow for the coolant to increase in pressure and have a place to act as an accumulator for any air to be separated from the coolant in the system. This is why it needs higher than the coolant volume and located as high up in the chassis as possible. Flowing coolant through the expansion tank as you suggest will mix the air in the top of the expansion tank with the coolant volume, Exactly what you do not want to do.
, been cooled, and returned back to the rear of the car to be pumped through the engine again to absorb heat.
The bleed system MUST deliver the air from the highest points in the system where the air will collect, the top of the radiator tanks, the top of the intake manifold, and the rear of the heads at the intake manifold where the heads water ports are exposed, back to the expansion tank. BUT the size of the lines in the bleed system must not cause a bypass effect so they should not be larger than AN-4. Big enough to bleed air out but not big enough to interfere with the correct coolant flow throughout the engine.
I have placed a bleed line from the very top of the thermostat housing to the expansion tank, the rear of the heads, and both sides of the radiator tops. This system works so well that if I drain the system to take the engine out of the car for example I simply fill the system back up from the radiator cap and let the bleed system bleed all the air out without any other additional procedures/ Works perfectly every time.
You can try anything you want to but the above is the most effective way. LS engines and 4-valve fords have sightly different internal plumbing but the basics of how this all works remain the same.
The purpose of the expansion tank is to allow for the coolant to increase in pressure and have a place to act as an accumulator for any air to be separated from the coolant in the system. This is why it needs higher than the coolant volume and located as high up in the chassis as possible. Flowing coolant through the expansion tank as you suggest will mix the air in the top of the expansion tank with the coolant volume, Exactly what you do not want to do.