Camaro LT5

[Stielow]

Originally Posted by PTAddict

Mark, are those fill ports a factory or aftermarket PN? Trying to figure out how to fill/bleed my LT4 intercooler system, and I looked at Gunner and didn't see any fill ports - how did you do Gunner? I don't want to put a reservoir in the system if I don't have to ...

Thanks,

Scott

The fill ports were from a LT4 lines set. I have not used reservoirs in my last 3 builds. I have usually added Jiffy Tite dry breaks to the top of the intercooler to bleed the system.

This time I made a reservoir at the very top of the system to bleed it. When we evacuated and filled the system it worked great. It is critical on this supercharged systems to get all the air out. After we filled the system we removed the extra reservoir and reinstalled the factory caps.

The easiest way to know if the system has no air is fire up the intercooler pump(s) with the engine off and listen for air going through the pump. If it is dead quite no air. You will hear the air pockets gong through the pump.

Another note. Keep the system as restriction free as possible. Don't use a lot of 90 degree fitting and extra lie length. Short runs and minimal bends..

Good luck

Mark

[PTAddict]

Thanks Mark! I wouldn't have thought a system would work without some room for thermal expansion, but obviously you've proven that wrong.

I did find this kit to add a dry break and high point for bleeding LT4 systems. Kinda spendy but probably worth it when you read about how tricky these systems are to bleed and get all the air out.

[Stielow]

Originally Posted by PTAddict

Thanks Mark! I wouldn't have thought a system would work without some room for thermal expansion, but obviously you've proven that wrong.

I did find this kit to add a dry break and high point for bleeding LT4 systems. Kinda spendy but probably worth it when you read about how tricky these systems are to bleed and get all the air out.

That kit looks like an Jiffy Tite fitting and reservoir.

Jiffy-tite 31406 Male Socket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0759GZHX3...XC7WRDKNSKB7RE

Good idea. Similar to what I did on my LT4 but with a hose and reservoir I hung from my hood latch.

Mark


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[Blown353]

Originally Posted by PTAddict

Thanks Mark! I wouldn't have thought a system would work without some room for thermal expansion, but obviously you've proven that wrong.

I did find this kit to add a dry break and high point for bleeding LT4 systems. Kinda spendy but probably worth it when you read about how tricky these systems are to bleed and get all the air out.

GM has done the reservoirless intercoolers on several cars now, my ATS-V being one of them. I think the LT4s are the same way. Haven't worked on an LT5.

My hunch is the lengths of rubber hoses and the hoses being flexible is enough allowance for thermal expansion. It's not a huge volume and not a large delta T, at least compared to the engine coolant.

And yes, bleeding the reservoirless systems is a bit of a pain.

The "riser funnel" method like the kit you posted works pretty well, in my experience you can get about 90% of the air out by filling the funnel and toggling the pump on an off many times to "burp" the system-- you'll get enough air out, at least enough so it won't trip the ECM's pump cavitation monitoring on a factory car. The cavitation monitoring on the factory cars will shut the intercooler pump down if it detects cavitation from air in the system (I'm guessing it monitors the pump current for excessive ripple which would indicate air in the system, or low current which would indicate no coolant and no load on the pump.)

However, if I first bleed the system by the "riser funnel" and pump cycling method, then hook up the factory filling/bleeding method of a Kent Moore quick connect fitting and a Vac-N-Fill, it will pull a little more air out of the system that the "riser funnel" method left in. The factory intakes have the fill points located a bit lower than the tops of the intercooler bricks in the intake, so air will always want to collect in the bricks at the highest point. Only way to get 100% of the air out of the system is to use a Vac-N-Fill or similar and run it through a couple of vacuum and draw cycles until it only pulls a steady stream of coolant out.

[PTAddict]

Originally Posted by Blown353

GM has done the reservoirless intercoolers on several cars now, my ATS-V being one of them. I think the LT4s are the same way. Haven't worked on an LT5.

My hunch is the lengths of rubber hoses and the hoses being flexible is enough allowance for thermal expansion. It's not a huge volume and not a large delta T, at least compared to the engine coolant.

And yes, bleeding the reservoirless systems is a bit of a pain.

The "riser funnel" method like the kit you posted works pretty well, in my experience you can get about 90% of the air out by filling the funnel and toggling the pump on an off many times to "burp" the system-- you'll get enough air out, at least enough so it won't trip the ECM's pump cavitation monitoring on a factory car. The cavitation monitoring on the factory cars will shut the intercooler pump down if it detects cavitation from air in the system (I'm guessing it monitors the pump current for excessive ripple which would indicate air in the system, or low current which would indicate no coolant and no load on the pump.)

However, if I first bleed the system by the "riser funnel" and pump cycling method, then hook up the factory filling/bleeding method of a Kent Moore quick connect fitting and a Vac-N-Fill, it will pull a little more air out of the system that the "riser funnel" method left in. The factory intakes have the fill points located a bit lower than the tops of the intercooler bricks in the intake, so air will always want to collect in the bricks at the highest point. Only way to get 100% of the air out of the system is to use a Vac-N-Fill or similar and run it through a couple of vacuum and draw cycles until it only pulls a steady stream of coolant out.

Thanks for the info. There are a lot of threads on these subjects in the C7 Z06 sub-forum on Corvette Forum. It appears from the testing done in this thread that the cavitation protection is actually built into the pump itself. I'm using a replacement pump from Lingenfelter which will hopefully not be as fussy, but getting all the air out is important regardless.

BTW the C7 Z06 does use a small reservoir, which might actually be making the aeration/cavitation problem worse.

[randy]

The two -6an fittings going into The dse rack do you Use the supplies Teflon crush washers or do you replace them with something else? Copper or
Aluminum? Do you add a dab of locktite to stop the fittings from backing out of the rack? My crush washers need replaced is why I ask.

[Stielow]

Originally Posted by randy

The two -6an fittings going into The dse rack do you Use the supplies Teflon crush washers or do you replace them with something else? Copper or
Aluminum? Do you add a dab of locktite to stop the fittings from backing out of the rack? My crush washers need replaced is why I ask.

Yep the nylon crush washers suck. Use a Earls Stat-o-seal. I forget the size. But you need two different sizes.


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[randy]

Wish I would have read this before installing my new washers. No chance I’m pulling it back apart lol

Originally Posted by Stielow

Yep the nylon crush washers suck. Use a Earls Stat-o-seal. I forget the size. But you need two different sizes.


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