DarkSideGTI Big Turbo Build Round 2

[Toffs]

Yes but too much bulk. I have a remote mount overflow.

Pic of your bay for reference - can't quite visualise how you've got it setup ?

[spitfire481]

never had an issues for the 2+ years i had a heater core. seals to the neck and makes the funnel itself part of the system. the funnel will be plenty higher than the heater core. attach the funnel to the filler neck, fill the system leaving about half of the funnel full. let the car run and work the air out like normal. make sure the t-stat opens it usually takes a while just idling. once you get no more bubbles out shut the car off and let it fully cool. pull off the funnel, throw the filler neck cap on and your good to go.

funnel info is: Lisle 24610 Spill-Free Funnel, got mine from NAPA

[dr. b]

^^^good tip.

there is always another way.

has anyone just considered going to a shop and having the system force-filled? the local vw/audi shop here in town has some machine for flushing the coolant system that can fill the whole thing from any port w/o leaving any bubbles. seems like it would be the easiest way....although not necessarily the cheapest.

[arethirdytwo]

I tried the spill free system but you still lose some getting the funnel off and the cap back on and lost coolant means air in the system. Again it may work with air but in Texas with no aux radiator I had to have a very high functioning system and this is the only setup that worked for me. Pics soon, car is outside, it's 100 and I just got home My overflow is mounted by the passenger side head light. Forcing coolant in would in theory work but you would need a vent in the system to push air out and again you would allow air in as soon as you tried to cap it.

[arethirdytwo]

BTW dude please come shoot my bay, I am too lazy to go buy a new charger for my SLR

[spitfire481]

the highest point in the system is the heater core itself. if there is a minute amount of air in the system it will rise up and get trapped in the top of the heater core. hell ive quick filled mine before during the summer just trying to get the car from my shop to my house (25 miles) without using the funnel and everything was just fine. only thing you loose is heat since not much is going through the core.

[BIG DUB]

never had an issues for the 2+ years i had a heater core. seals to the neck and makes the funnel itself part of the system. the funnel will be plenty higher than the heater core. attach the funnel to the filler neck, fill the system leaving about half of the funnel full. let the car run and work the air out like normal. make sure the t-stat opens it usually takes a while just idling. once you get no more bubbles out shut the car off and let it fully cool. pull off the funnel, throw the filler neck cap on and your good to go.

funnel info is: Lisle 24610 Spill-Free Funnel, got mine from NAPA

Nice tip dude

[arethirdytwo]

Let us know how it goes... But still why not just fab a connect for the rad/thermo and then fab an inline for the HC, all the birds with one stone. Then maybe send me one of those rad/thermo connectors

[spitfire481]

i looked at doing it at the heater core when i first did mine as well to make it simple. just couldn't find anything that looked clean back there. and the fact that the hoses are about 3/4" instead of 1.5"

[arethirdytwo]

I had a small one made but did not have time to get a vented filler so I still use the inline as a pressure release at the rad. ****ty iphone pics to follow....

[arethirdytwo]

Pics are so embarrassing...

AB what?

[DarkSideGTI]

So I found a possible solution browsing around on summit, but it's not cheap.

I have an extra available bung on the plastic tee under my charge pipe that I could tap for an NPT to an fitting.


I could run a remote filler neck and place it above the heater core.

There is this one with a -16 bung on the side.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CTR-80-006/

Or this one which has two -12 lines on the bottom. I would only need one.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MOR-63425/

[huichox4]

what they use at the dealers is a ventury 3 way valve that you hook up to your air compressor (it has to be a big one and tons of psi) you pull vacuum on the whole cooling system when the valve is open to pass air through it then you close it and make sure the system has enough vacuum (it has a gauge) on the 3rd port of the valve you connect a hose that has to be pre filled with coolant and the other end in a container with the total amount of coolant and a little more of what your system is going to use then you just open the valve and the whole system gets filled up no air left in there

[Draxus]

That remote looks sweet.

[JamesO]

As someone else stated, if you pull a vacuum on the system to before filling it with coolant you should be able to eliminate any air in the system. This is the VW approved method, and really the most reliable for many reasons. It's very similar to an A/C machine in utilizing vacuum for filling.

Also, before you scrap your idea completely think about this. Your heater core is higher than your fill point, so you simply jack up the front of the car. Using this temporary incline to help you avoid any air pockets in the system is actually an old trick that is utilized on some older OEM Toyotas/Lexus. Honestly if you were to utilize this method in addition to a vacuum filling procedure you will have NO problems at all.

You may still choose to change your setup, but either way I would file that little tip for future use. Since your changing your cooling system you never know what may crop up later requiring diagnostic/testing. This method is great for eliminating the possibility of air in the system.

[fouckhest]

Also, before you scrap your idea completely think about this. Your heater core is higher than your fill point, so you simply jack up the front of the car. Using this temporary incline to help you avoid any air pockets in the system is actually an old trick that is utilized on some older OEM Toyotas/Lexus. Honestly if you were to utilize this method in addition to a vacuum filling procedure you will have NO problems at all.

i was going to chime in with this earlier....this is how i always topped of my 1.8t setup (see above photo, gray primer with black bay)....i would fill up my car as much as i could, then drive down to the shop where i hang out and pull almost into the shop and open the cap and keep topping it off till it started to over flow....again, never had any issues with my car and i drove the piss out of it all the time....

[DarkSideGTI]

As you guys can see from this pic there is no room for the filler cap to go on the upper radiator hose.



That nipple coming off the radiator has a press on barbed fitting in either straight or 90*. That causes it to sit out even farther. If I was able to mount the cap there, it is right under the rad support and makes the cap very hard to get to. The only way I think I will be able to run it in the upper rad hose is to re-route my intercooler piping and inlet for the intake manifold. Or run a remote filler cap like I posted last night.

[arethirdytwo]

I like the remote filler or the vacuum system. I tried the jacking up the front method... Rear bumper hit ground before I could get it higher then the HC haha. Let me know about the remote filler. That would be great hidden in my fender!

[fouckhest]

As you guys can see from this pic there is no room for the filler cap to go on the upper radiator hose.

did you see sav's post in the other thread about modifying your Intake mani? that might make things a little cleaner as well....

[DarkSideGTI]

did you see sav's post in the other thread about modifying your Intake mani? that might make things a little cleaner as well....

It would. But I am not a fabricator. I cannot weld and this would require cutting/welding the intake manifold, creating a new drivers side charge pipe which also has the BOV flange on it. And then re-powdercoating that pipe. I also thing that would disrupt flow having a harsh 90* bend right before the plenum.

[fouckhest]

It would. But I am not a fabricator. I cannot weld and this would require cutting/welding the intake manifold, creating a new drivers side charge pipe which also has the BOV flange on it. And then re-powdercoating that pipe. I also thing that would disrupt flow having a harsh 90* bend right before the plenum.

gotcha on not having the fab resources...that makes things hard....but that would really clean things up....i think though if you did a nice mandrel 90* turn there you wouldnt have too much turbulance....look at how a factory 1.8t intake is designed...there is a 90right before the throttle body...

but i understand completely on your situation.....

p.s. - i really like that remote fill, that has me thinking for sure on how my new setup in my gti is going to be redone

[dr. b]

3/4" hose (1/2" NPT threaded at base in case you decide to change em out). i'm thinking this could go inline at the HC line and if you want to use a remote overflow, you're good. if not, you can use the barb to fill/bleed.

thoughts?

[DarkSideGTI]

I thought about putting a -10 tee fitting right off the heater core, but it would stick out too far and hit my inlet pipe.

[arethirdytwo]

B. That would work amazing for me I just need a non filler 1-1-1/2 or was it 1-1/2-1-3/4 connector to go from rad to block. **** thread jack, sorry man.

[DarkSideGTI]

I decided to finally replace my outer cv boot on the passenger side. I took the axle out last night and tore everything down. The joint is in pretty good condition and only a little dirt had gotten in. I cleaned everything really good and am ordering a CV boot kit today.

I made a bracket for the power steering reservoir and mounted it next to the passenger side frame rail and ran all the lines to it. I also ordered the remote filler stuff. Tonight I am painting the brake calipers, finally getting rid of that ugly yellow.

[dr. b]

Tonight I am painting the brake calipers, finally getting rid of that ugly yellow.

WOOT!

[BIG DUB]

WOOT!

Nice did you use a magic eraser I heard that there money for brake calipers

[DarkSideGTI]

I just used a nylon brush and a lot of brake cleaner. But between getting off work late and the rain tonight I am postponing the painting until tomorrow.

[BIG DUB]

wire brush on a drill does wonders too along with some prep sol

[DarkSideGTI]

It was too cold to paint them last night. needs to be at least 50*.

I swapped out my red coil pack covers for some black ones and also got my black allen head screws for my motor mounts in. The coolant fill re-location has also begun, the rest of the parts should get here today.

[fouckhest]

It was too cold to paint them last night. needs to be at least 50*.

I swapped out my red coil pack covers for some black ones and also got my black allen head screws for my motor mounts in.

make sure you get some big washers to use with them....otherwise they will chew the living sh*t out of those VF mounts...i put them in with no washers at first, and they gouged them up pretty bad....

[DarkSideGTI]

make sure you get some big washers to use with them....otherwise they will chew the living sh*t out of those VF mounts...i put them in with no washers at first, and they gouged them up pretty bad....

Yup I got stainless steel washers.

I took the painters tape off.



I guess I did a couple other things too.

[Toffs]

[BIG DUB]

how do you like the SRI.

[Golfedd]

mint!