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Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: terry paget on 03 September 2019, 17:31:47

Title: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: terry paget on 03 September 2019, 17:31:47
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/c4htxr04917km1c/RADIATORbleedSCREW.jpg?dl=1)
Haynes Astra 2009-2013 describes a radiator bleed screw, top right of radiator, picture 22.16. I cannot find it. All I can find I show above, but it is top left of the radiator, is present on 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010 Astras, and does not seem much like a drain screw.

Please advise.
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 03 September 2019, 18:30:57
Bleed screws are used to drain air, not liquid...  ::)

Your statement is confused. What exactly are you trying to ascertain?
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: Nick W on 03 September 2019, 18:57:38
Bleed screws are used to drain air, not liquid...  ::)

Your statement is confused. What exactly are you trying to ascertain?


You beat me to it.
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: terry paget on 03 September 2019, 19:04:45
Bleed screws are used to drain air, not liquid...  ::)

Your statement is confused. What exactly are you trying to ascertain?
The location of the radiator bleed screw.
 Haynes Astra Dec 2009 to 2013 1A.12, 22 Cooling system refilling, paragraph 16, states: Open the bleed screw at the upper right hand side of the radiator (see illustration).
then  -  fill system by pouring coolant slowly into the expansion tank up to filler neck until coolant runs out of the bleed screw, then close the screw.
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 03 September 2019, 19:09:04
The white plastic cap is presumably a cap or cover with the screw beneath it.

Popping the overflow tube off the radiator should suffice whilst burping the bottom hose :y
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: terry paget on 03 September 2019, 20:11:45
The white plastic cap is presumably a cap or cover with the screw beneath it.

Popping the overflow tube off the radiator should suffice whilst burping the bottom hose :y
The white plastic cap could be a cover, I suppose, but it is inaccessible and at the wrong end of the radiator. I will investigate in the morning.

I did indeed remove the overflow pipe from the radiator and pop it back on when coolant emerged from it. I did not think of burping the bottom hose.

I have replaced WP hoses on three other Astras, including an 08 reg, without trouble refilling the radiators, yet KM08 and the Vectra were tricky.
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 03 September 2019, 20:31:07
Vectra shouldn't be :-\
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: terry paget on 03 September 2019, 21:38:05
Vectra shouldn't be :-\
OK, Vectra was all right once I had unplugged the heater LH hose and filled the header tank to the brim, but these were new procedures.
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: terry paget on 04 September 2019, 12:32:46
The white plastic cap is presumably a cap or cover with the screw beneath it.

Popping the overflow tube off the radiator should suffice whilst burping the bottom hose :y
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ldbm6lnrhz940pt/RADIATORbleedSCREW2.jpg?dl=1)
You're right, Doc. And this shot is of my 2004 Astra. I cannot see how this bleed screw does what removing the overflow hose fails to do.
This screw is at the nearside of the radiator, left hand side of the car. I would call this the left hand end of the radiator.
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: aaronjb on 04 September 2019, 12:43:19
There appear to be two radiators in that picture, so I'm assuming one is an aircon 'radiator' .. the big fat water hose appears to be attached to the one nearest us, making it the coolant radiator. So if you open that thing on the other one, I'd expect you'd let all the refrigerant out? Maybe I'm looking at the pictures wrong..
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 04 September 2019, 13:03:30
There appear to be two radiators in that picture, so I'm assuming one is an aircon 'radiator' .. the big fat water hose appears to be attached to the one nearest us, making it the coolant radiator. So if you open that thing on the other one, I'd expect you'd let all the refrigerant out? Maybe I'm looking at the pictures wrong..
Nope, you're correct Aaron :y

The first picture isn't so clear as the camera position is different  :y
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: dave the builder on 04 September 2019, 18:46:10
that could well be the air con dryer element
Title: Re: Astra radiator bleed screw
Post by: terry paget on 04 September 2019, 19:46:39
Well spotted!
So there apparently is no bleed screw in the radiator. Not that it matters as removing the overflow hose does the same thing.