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tjl006
05-07-2009, 09:14 AM
After having trouble burping air out of the cooling system I decided to make my own vacuum filler. Vacuum is pulled form the right side of the filler while the left valve is closed. To pull vacuum I converted a bike pump. There are instruction online how to do this. I installed a check valve so the pump will suck but not blow;).

The filler is placed in the overflow tank after vacuum is drawn, the valve on the right is closed and the left hose is placed in a container with enough coolant to fill the whole system. The left valve is then opened allowing the vacuum to suck the coolant in.

The filler worked good the first time I tried it. I still had to add coolant to the crossover. But after adding the coolant the car did not overheat. After acouple of triple digit runs on ocean parkway still no problem. I am going to work on making it so it fills from the crossover this way maby the whole system will fill in one shot.

ctrlraven
05-07-2009, 09:44 AM
Nice work, keep us updated.

omarauder
05-07-2009, 12:46 PM
Excellent idea!
I think there is a commercial version of this out there. The shop I went to used it to do my MM. It runs on compressed air. A millwright at work says you can get a simple vacuum generator (he gave a McMaster-Carr pn:5293A41)that uses compressed air over a venturi to create the vacuum source. This might work instead of the bicycle pump, although I would keep the check valve in there. Draw back is you need an air compressor.
Could an old vacuum cleaner work? You can tell I'm to lazy to pump......

imorb1994
05-07-2009, 12:53 PM
Excellent idea!
I think there is a commercial version of this out there.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=66765&group_ID=12500&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
Snap-On's version is pricer but most of the other tool manufactures have similar products.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=72508&group_ID=12500&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
I have this one and it works great^^^

tjl006
05-07-2009, 12:57 PM
Mighty vac makes one too, harbor freight had one for sixty bucks but no longer carrys them. I made mine for about $30. It helps that I work at a hardware store and my discount on brass fittings is good. Thanks for your comments guys!:)