How to change the Supercharger's Coolant

[BlackICE]

I you follow the instructions in the service manual for changing the Supercharger's coolant you will have to open the bleeder valve when refilling. That valve is not accessible without removing the front end, and thus both fender liners, headlights too! The valve is tucked behind the radiators bleeder valve on the drivers side, but too far back to reach even if you remove the fan screens.

There is another way that is much easier.

1. Take the top hose off of the degas bottle for the supercharger and plug the bottle's hose connection with a cork.

2. Find a fitting so that you can connect a garden hose to the hose you just removed from the bottle.

3. To flush run water into the fitting you connected, coolant will come out from the hole in bottom of the degas bottle, in reverse flow. Connect a siphon to a bucket to collect the coolant.

4. When you are sure the system is flushed. Connect a pre-mix of your desired coolant, water wetter and distilled water into a bucket. Connect a pump to pull the liquid from the bucket into the hose. continue to siphon into a 2nd bucket until the system is full of your new liquid. System capacity is around 5 to 6 gallons so you have have to stop and refill and empty your buckets before you are done.

 

[fjpikul]

What kind of baby chair is that?

 

[TEXAS GT]

Good thinking, but why do you have to change your intercooler fluid? Is it required at certain mileage points?

 

[BlackICE]

I wanted less coolant to water and added water wetter. Keeping the air cooler will delay the onset of heat soak. I think regular maintenance would be to change it every 3 years. The anti-corrosion and lubricants in the coolant don't last forever.

That was a plastic outdoor chair I had laying around, not a baby seat.

 

[AZGT]

When I put in water wetter, I just used a shop vac to pull some original coolant out. Took about 15 seconds. :thumbsup

 

[davisp]

That is the way I did it too. PD

 

[GTNJ]

What kind of baby chair is that?

:lol:lol:lol:lol

 

[Shadowman]

I you follow the instructions in the service manual for changing the Supercharger's coolant you will have to open the bleeder valve when refilling. That valve is not accessible without removing the front end, and thus both fender liners, headlights too! The valve is tucked behind the radiators bleeder valve on the drivers side, but too far back to reach even if you remove the fan screens.

There is another way that is much easier.

1. Take the top hose off of the degas bottle for the supercharger and plug the bottle's hose connection with a cork.

2. Find a fitting so that you can connect a garden hose to the hose you just removed from the bottle.

3. To flush run water into the fitting you connected, coolant will come out from the hole in bottom of the degas bottle, in reverse flow. Connect a siphon to a bucket to collect the coolant.

4. When you are sure the system is flushed. Connect a pre-mix of your desired coolant, water wetter and distilled water into a bucket. Connect a pump to pull the liquid from the bucket into the hose. continue to siphon into a 2nd bucket until the system is full of your new liquid. System capacity is around 5 to 6 gallons so you have have to stop and refill and empty your buckets before you are done.

Thank you for sharing your method; very cool

Shadowman

 

[Waldo]

Is there any reason why I couldn't use the same method to change the engine coolant? I was planning on using your technique to change the supercharger coolant this weekend (my gal just turned three) and was wondering if it would be just as easy to use the same technique for the engine coolant.

Any thoughts or words of wisdom?

Best Regards,
Waldo

 

[BlackICE]

I little harder to do on the engine coolant, since the degass bottle flows only part of the fluid, most of it takes another path. The radiator bleeder is accessable with long needle nose pliers once you take driver's side radiator screen off. I would recommend using the bleeder.

I broke down and bought a vacuum bleeder that Ford recommends after Shadowman said how nice it worked and because it was only $100. I will use it the next time I service the systems.

 

[Beach-GT]

Could we have the info on the vacuum bleeder? I think I have some air in my system I need to get out. I ran right on the red line at the track.

 

[Shadowman]

Here are a few commments that I made in the attached thread.

I will be happy to answer all questions

Takes care

Shadowman

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10750&page=3

Quote:

Originally Posted by avant

I took her out touring for a few hours yesterday and drove a bit aggressively and the temp never exceeded 190F. Conclusion: Hard tracking in primarily 2nd gear does not make her happy (it only took about 5 minutes to hit 240F).

Quote

Originally Posted by Shadowman

Your experience is similar to those by Ford during the testing (as I was told).

It is my understanding that in order for the gals to qualify for and then materially participate in the SVT program they must be able to maintain proper operation during the 20 minute track sessions however the early gals with the grill could not as such it was removed which then allowed them to fully participate in this program

I was also told that even though removing the grill made a significant improvement at the end of the 20 minute session they still needed to be pulled off the track because temperatures would climb.

Now as for bleeding the system; I had a very interesting experience a short time ago. A gal that seemed to operate fine however had a temperature gauge that that was prone to rapid fluctuations; so much so that Stillen while installing their alternate gear set replaced the thermostat suspecting that this was the culprit; this was a mutual decision by both the customer and Stillen’s team however the problem remained. While she was with me I elected to completely vacuum the system taking note of the fluid drawn out versus that which was drawn back in. the key word here is drawn because the system is designed to draw fluids in to replace the vacuum as such no air is introduced to the system. After this process was completed she took a couple quarts more fluid and the problem was gone.

Now could this also be contributing to your issue; maybe nevertheless I share that because of the systems design it is next to impossible to remove the air within without using a vacuum process.

Takes care

Shadowman

 

[Beach-GT]

I was using 2nd and 3rd wound out and finally used 4th on long straights to get some cooling. I could make 20 minutes but I was in the red at the end. The only thing that could keep up was a 750 HP Super Snake but he was out of business in two laps. I also ran an 05 mustang to the limp point and had to take a cool off lap to go again. The GT is a track animal! I can see no need for a pulley on the track. The machine is really well ballanced. Learning to drive it overcomes any power shortfall.

 

[Waldo]

For those familiar with the RADKITPLUS, does the tool simply draw the air out of the cooling system under vacuum? Should I be able to achieve the same results connecting my trusty Miti-Vac hand operated pump to the radiator bleeder valve and drawing the air out under vacuum from there? (Much like bleeding your brakes.) Or would I need to connect the vacuum pump to the cooling system at a different location?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Best Regards,
Waldo

 

[Shadowman]

For those familiar with the RADKITPLUS, does the tool simply draw the air out of the cooling system under vacuum? Should I be able to achieve the same results connecting my trusty Miti-Vac hand operated pump to the radiator bleeder valve and drawing the air out under vacuum from there? (Much like bleeding your brakes.) Or would I need to connect the vacuum pump to the cooling system at a different location?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Best Regards,
Waldo

Waldo

No; I too use a Mighty-VAC from time to time and in this case it would not do the job.

The RADKITPLUS draws the system down to approx. 25 inches of vacuum at which time you seal the system and make certain that it remains stable; if not then leaks are corrected and then the process of drawing fluid into the system is completed. The re-fill is accomplished solely as the result of the captured vacuum.

I hope that this helps.

PM me with any questions

takes care

Shadowman

 

[Beach-GT]

25 inches of vacuum mus suck all the hoses flat. :eek

 

[Shadowman]

25 inches of vacuum mus suck all the hoses flat. :eek

No "eek" about it

The process "MUST" do exactly this because the process of properly filling the system requires that there be no air; by vacuuming the system down and then allowing the process allowing the vacuum to drawing the fluid into the system you will have as close to no air as possible.

Takes care

Shadowman

 

[Waldo]

Waldo

No; I too use a Mighty-VAC from time to time and in this case it would not do the job.

The RADKITPLUS draws the system down to approx. 25 inches of vacuum at which time you seal the system and make certain that it remains stable; if not then leaks are corrected and then the process of drawing fluid into the system is completed. The re-fill is accomplished solely as the result of the captured vacuum.

I hope that this helps.

PM me with any questions

takes care

Shadowman

Shadowman,

Thank you for sharing your insight. It looks like I'll be tracking down a RADKITPLUS. As hot as it gets here in AZ, having the cooling system working at its optimal efficiency is a must.

Best Regards,
Waldo

 

[Beach-GT]

So where do we hook this sucking device up to? :willy

 

[Beach-GT]

Back so soon. I looked up the Radkitplus at snap-on. Just a venturi vacuum generator and some plastic hose for $200. I still can't figure out how you would get trapped air out of the radiator without a radiator cap. Sucking up the hoses ain't going to do it. The air needs to be forced out by high fluid flow or something if you can't relieve it directly. The Radkitplus probably works great on a regular radiator with a cap and over flow bottle. But then again those will purge themselves with a few heat cycles. I'd like to see the purge point recommended and how the air in the radiator top is going to get replaced with fluid. It needs a bleed screw. :wink