"Burping" and engine

[Leonidas Rex]

I have been trying to diagnose an engine problem that I have had. I have blown 3 head gaskets and replaced them now twice. I am on my 3rd time. The machine shop found nothing wrong with the heads and block. The engine runs hotter than hell with new fluids and a new radiator and electric fan. I don't get it! Is an air pocket getting caught somewhere? How do I tell and how do I fix it?

[tan top]

  have you got a spring in the bottom radiator hose .... 

[resq302]

Ron helped me with the "burping" issue on my charger.  Pretty easy to do.... First, get a set of ramps and pull the front wheels up onto them.  (Making sure you don't go too far and go off of them).  Next, with the engine running (and cool) remove the radiator cap and let the engine come up to normal operating temp.  Since the front end of the car is now highest point of the car, any air should be freed up and go to the highest point, which should be the fill neck of the rad.  Keep an eye in the throat of the fill neck to see if there are any bubbles that come up, if so, that was your problem.

Good luck!  I know how hard it can be to fight gremlins.  I am still trying to fix the lean issue with my engine/carb when I go from cruise to WOT or idle to WOT.  It has taken some time but at least I am getting closer to the finished product.

[tecmopar]

As long as the car is sitting on level ground you shouldn't have a problem filling it if you use the very old trick of drilling a 3/32 hole in the thermostat. It takes a few mins. longer but it will be less then a quart low which isn't enough to cause this. Also, I don't know what brand of head gasket your using but I have seen a few over the years that if not installed on the correct side they block off the cooling passages to the heads. Good luck.

[1969chargerrtse]

Ron helped me with the "burping" issue on my charger.  Pretty easy to do.... First, get a set of ramps and pull the front wheels up onto them.  (Making sure you don't go too far and go off of them).  Next, with the engine running (and cool) remove the radiator cap and let the engine come up to normal operating temp.  Since the front end of the car is now highest point of the car, any air should be freed up and go to the highest point, which should be the fill neck of the rad.  Keep an eye in the throat of the fill neck to see if there are any bubbles that come up, if so, that was your problem.

Good luck!  I know how hard it can be to fight gremlins.  I am still trying to fix the lean issue with my engine/carb when I go from cruise to WOT or idle to WOT.  It has taken some time but at least I am getting closer to the finished product.

Accelerator pump should have 3 hole settings for longer or shorter throws?  If it's lean, can't you increase jet/Rod size?
Not meaning to change thread direction.   

[1969chargerrtse]

I have been trying to diagnose an engine problem that I have had. I have blown 3 head gaskets and replaced them now twice. I am on my 3rd time. The machine shop found nothing wrong with the heads and block. The engine runs hotter than hell with new fluids and a new radiator and electric fan. I don't get it! Is an air pocket getting caught somewhere? How do I tell and how do I fix it?

More info please.  3 "sets" of head gaskets?  If hot exhaust is getting into the water jacket that also can cause overheating, but you say heads are fine.  Have they been plugged and water flow tested?  I would also get a sniffer carbon monoxide tool in the radiator neck to check for exhaust smell/leak.  Pull the thermostat, and if you see fast flowing water then anything related to cooling is not the issue, and get us more info so we can dig into the block and heads.  I've filled many many blocks after rebuilding or changing fluids and never ever had an air bubble issue.

[Leonidas Rex]

Tahnk yuo for all of your responses. I will be able to get to the car this weekend and report back what I find. i needed to walk away from it for awhile to get my head straight.

[firefighter3931]

Ron helped me with the "burping" issue on my charger.  Pretty easy to do.... First, get a set of ramps and pull the front wheels up onto them.  (Making sure you don't go too far and go off of them).  Next, with the engine running (and cool) remove the radiator cap and let the engine come up to normal operating temp.  Since the front end of the car is now highest point of the car, any air should be freed up and go to the highest point, which should be the fill neck of the rad.  Keep an eye in the throat of the fill neck to see if there are any bubbles that come up, if so, that was your problem.

Good luck!  I know how hard it can be to fight gremlins.  I am still trying to fix the lean issue with my engine/carb when I go from cruise to WOT or idle to WOT.  It has taken some time but at least I am getting closer to the finished product.

The idea behind burping the engine is to try and get all of the air out of the back of the motor. By elevating the front end the air pocket, assuming there is one, will be forced out of the radiator. Air pockets will often form in the cylinder head towards the back of the motor.



Ron

[Rob R]

That's awfully hot for air in the system...When I see them that hot it's usually something like a tight piston