Ranger Mods

When you renew the engine coolant, ( Ford recommend that it be changed every two years ) there is always the hassle of how do you easily and fully vent all the air out of such a convoluted coolant system?
Well after several attempts I think I've come up with an very easy and efficient method.

To do this you will need the following :-

A 12 volt DC pump - eBay part number 333290386663 @ $19.95.
A replacement radiator vent line - this is the plastic one that goes from the top of the radiator to the header tank - Ford Parts, $52.00,
A couple of metres of 8 mm ID silicon hose.
Premixed 15 litres of Coolant -- ( 50/50 coolant and distilled water ).
A funnel that will fit easily into the header tank.

I am assuming at this point that you have drained the system totally of the old coolant by draining it from the bottom of the radiator and disconnected the hose off transmission cooler inlet connection to drain the cabin heater system as well so that the coolant system is just about totally drained of any old coolant.

* Cut off the ends of the plastic vent line with a case opener to get clean cut ends leaving about 150 mm of the line either side of the press-on fittings.
*Cut the silicon hose in two equal lengths push each of the two plastic line ends into each of the silicon hoses.
* press the other two ends of the hoses onto the pump, mark the flow direction of the pump on it.
* Extend the electrical leads of the pump by about 2 metres with crocodile clips on the ends to enable it to be connected to the Ranger battery.

Okay - venting the air out of the coolant system.

Refer at this point to the photograph of mine, you will note that I have a Koyorad Radiator so that the connection to my pump is a bit different from the one you will have in that I have only utilized only one the fittings as the connection to the Koyorad is a conventional 6 mm hose and clamp.
*Disconnect and remove the existing plastic vent line and put it to one side for reconnection later.
*Connect the pump in its place with the direction of flow going from the radiator to the header tank.
*Fill as much of the new coolant into the header tank as the empty coolant system will take. On my PX2 Wildtrak this is initially about 10 litres.
*Connect the pump to the battery and run the pump, as it runs it will draw air out of the top of the radiator and pump it into the header tank, keep the tank full to the maximum line marked on the side of the tank - this is about 1 cm higher than the horizontal seam.
*Eventually coolant will flow from the radiator through the pump and into the header tank, let it run until no more air bubbles are evident.
*At this point and with the pump still running start the engine and allow it to warm up to normal running temperature to allow the thermostat to open @ 88*C and expect more air bubbles to be vented at this point.
* Keep topping up the header tank to maintain the correct coolant level.
*Once there are no more air bubbles and that coolant level constant and is just above the FULL line stop the engine,
*Remove the funnel,and fit the pressure cap.
*Turn off the pump, remove it and replace it with the normal plastic vent line.

The system will now be fully vented. Check the coolant levels for the next few days and then weekly.