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coolant replacement

Yahoo Message Number: 70574
I have a 2002 Intrigue with an ISL 400 engine. This past weekend I chemically flushed my coolant system & replaced the coolant with extended life "OAT" manufactured by Fleetguard and also replaced the thermostat. After replacing the coolant I ran the coach just long enough (about 10 minutes) to get it back to the storage lot & it did not come up to full temperature.
Do I need to be concerned about the possibility of air in the coolant system? If so, what is the best way to bleed the system.
I noticed in the cooling system schematic a "daerator" line which connects just below the thermostat housing and runs to the top of the coolant resevoir tank. Does this line automatically purge the system of air?

I would appreciate any guidance.

Fred Compton

2002 Intrigue # 11407

Re: coolant replacement

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70583
Fred,

10 minutes would probably not be long enough on my coach. Try running again for a longer period of time. If it's running too cool, then I doubt you have a coolant or air lock issue. I would think heat would be the concern there.
If it does not reach operating temps (around 195 on my ISL), then either the thermostat is faulty (always open) or the wrong temp rating perhaps? Or the fan is running too high which points to sensors (air/coolant) or the fan controller.

Rob

2002 Intrigue #11480

Re: coolant replacement

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70585
Fred, I don't know if you are in clod country or not but 10 minutes isn't long enough to get to operating temp. It takes longer than 10 minutes to get my engine up to 195 even while driving on the freeway. I don't think you ran it long enough and letting it idle trying to get temperature up isn't good for the motor.
You might have air in the system but it will self purge. Keep the coolant at a level so you can see it in the sight glass on the expansion tank and refill as necessary. If you have the Hurricane heater, you are filling that also.

Don

'02 Intrigue #11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: coolant replacement

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70586
Don,

Thanks for the input. My main concern was how to purge the air if it was in the system & you answered that for me. I'll run the coach for a longer period & get it up to temperature. Supposedly the extended life "OAT" coolant does a better job of cooling/protecting the engine. I was running right around 200 prior to changing the coolant. I'll be interested in seeing what effect cleaning the system & using the new coolant will have.

Fred Compton

02 Intrigue # 11407

Re: coolant replacement

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70609
Fred,

My dash gauge will read about 195 and the Silverleaf will read anywhere from 195 to 198. At 202 I can hear the fan controller do its thing and speed the fan up. The temp will immediately drop back to the 195 range.
Whe we picked the coach up at the factory, the temp was steady 200. I had them look at it and they put a new gauge in. Talking to the tech, she said that there is a 10% error in both the gauge and the the sender unit so you could really be off if both of them were at the limits of their error.

Don

'02 Intrigue #11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: coolant replacement

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70626
Fred, Changing the coolant shouldn't have a noticeable effect on the indicated temp. You might have improved cooling with the new coolant, but the thermostat will maintain the engine, and therefor the coolant at the same indicated temp. Where the improvement may be noticeable will be when you climb hills ot encounter conditions that caused your rig to overheat in the past.

Jim Hodges, 2007 Inspire #51969

Re: coolant replacement

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70660
Don,

I had the coach out for a more extended run this weekend including about 20 minutes on the freeway. The coolant temperature, as indicated by the silverleaf, hovered between 185 and 190. I live in the Houston area so there are no hills and I was not towing a vehicle, so the load on the coach was minimal. Flushing/cleaning the coolant system, adding new coolant (extended life OAT) and changing the thermostat appears to have lowered the running temperature by about 10 degrees. I'll have the coach out on a trip in two weeks and that will be a better test. Thought you might be interested.
By the way, before I started the coach, I had to add ½ gallon of coolant, indicating it had purged some air during the run to my storage space--just as you said it would.

Fred Compton

2002 Intrigue # 11407