Degas bottle replacement with pics

[hite337]

I have seen a few people asking about a how-to for the degas bottle (coolant reservoir) replacement lately. I haven't seen a write up myself so I had some free time and figured I would make one up. This is not a difficult job at all, it took me around an hour or so with bleeding the cooling system. I hope this helps some people.

1) Drain the cooling system according to the tech article http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/tech/Lincoln-LS/CoolingSystemDraining/

2) Remove the windshield wiper arms. Pull off the rubber cap and remove the nuts. Pull up and down gently on the arm until it comes off. You may want to mark the position of the arm before you remove it so you can replace it in the exact same position.

3) Remove the pin clips that hold the cowl covers on. Push in on the center and they will come out. Remove both cowl covers

4) Remove the 7 bolts holding the strut tower/firewall brace and remove the brace

5) Remove the 2 bolts and 2 hoses on top from the degas bottle. Leave the bottom hose attached to the degas bottle

6) Remove the pinch clamp on the lower hose from the heater core pipe located behind the drivers side valve cover. I would throw this clamp in the trash and use a regular wormgear hose clamp. The factory clamp is hard to put back on considering its location

7) Install the lower hose on the new degas bottle in the same position as the old bottle

8) Install the new degas bottle and connect the lower hose to the heater core using a worm gear hose clamp to make it easy

9) Re-install the 2 degas bottle bolts, 2 upper hoses, strut tower brace, cowl covers and wiper arms

10) Fill and bleed the cooling system according to the tech article referred to in step 1 and you are done

 

[Wicked Ace]

Nice job on the write up. I hope you replaced the cabin filter before you put the cowl back on.

 

[hite337]

I hope you replaced the cabin filter before you put the cowl back on.

Yes I did, the degas bottle was the first thing I did when I purchased the LSE. I dont think the previous owner ever changed it.

 

[wdweric]

thank you so much! just what i needed! how much did the new bottle cost you?

 

[hite337]

thank you so much! just what i needed! how much did the new bottle cost you?

No problem. It was around $63+shipping from rockauto.com

 

[manoli]

Nice write up!

Question: Did you replace it because it was cracked overheating?

Ive been having problems with my Ls wanting to over heat whenever it feels like it, I bleed the system like a month a go because it was getting hot all of the sudden didnt get hot again till the other day, fan kicks on really high like its going to the speed of the engine when driving. I did some searching on here and it sounds like its either the degas bottle or air in the system so i bleed it again today and drove for an hour with ac on around town and it didnt get hot just right below half. Any ideas

 

[Andrizzle]

Good write up for sure. This also reminded me I need to order a new cabin filter.

 

[LS4me]

Nice write up!

Question: Did you replace it because it was cracked overheating?

Ive been having problems with my Ls wanting to over heat whenever it feels like it, I bleed the system like a month a go because it was getting hot all of the sudden didnt get hot again till the other day, fan kicks on really high like its going to the speed of the engine when driving. I did some searching on here and it sounds like its either the degas bottle or air in the system so i bleed it again today and drove for an hour with ac on around town and it didnt get hot just right below half. Any ideas

Plastic gets brittle with age and heat. If your car lives in a hot climate and/or is "old", I would suspect the bottle first. They get hairline cracks that open when hot and close up when cold. The "cooling T" on the V8 is also a place to look for hairline cracks.


Oh yea..... EXCELLENT write-up!

 

[manoli]

Plastic gets brittle with age and heat. If your car lives in a hot climate and/or is "old", I would suspect the bottle first. They get hairline cracks that open when hot and close up when cold. The "cooling T" on the V8 is also a place to look for hairline cracks.


Oh yea..... EXCELLENT write-up!

Thanks for the respone i checked the thermostat housing looks to be fine no leaks or cracks, Funny you say that i live in florida and its crazy HOT out lately 95+!

 

[joegr]

Nice write up!

Question: Did you replace it because it was cracked overheating?

Ive been having problems with my Ls wanting to over heat whenever it feels like it, I bleed the system like a month a go because it was getting hot all of the sudden didnt get hot again till the other day, fan kicks on really high like its going to the speed of the engine when driving. I did some searching on here and it sounds like its either the degas bottle or air in the system so i bleed it again today and drove for an hour with ac on around town and it didnt get hot just right below half. Any ideas

A cracked degas bottle is one of the more common reasons to get air in the cooling system. Cracks on some of the plastic cooling system pipes is the other prime reason. You certainly have one of these two problems, and possibly both. (Everything went at once on my 04.)

 

[LS4me]

Thanks for the response i checked the thermostat housing looks to be fine no leaks or cracks, Funny you say that i live in Florida and its crazy HOT out lately 95+!

Put a dye in the system and see where the fluid is leaking. Additionally, if the housing is leaking you should see some residue at the joints. I still suspect the bottle.

 

[manoli]

A cracked degas bottle is one of the more common reasons to get air in the cooling system. Cracks on some of the plastic cooling system pipes is the other prime reason. You certainly have one of these two problems, and possibly both. (Everything went at once on my 04.)

Thanks Guys greatly appreciated!

 

[hite337]

Nice write up!

Question: Did you replace it because it was cracked overheating?

Ive been having problems with my Ls wanting to over heat whenever it feels like it, I bleed the system like a month a go because it was getting hot all of the sudden didnt get hot again till the other day, fan kicks on really high like its going to the speed of the engine when driving. I did some searching on here and it sounds like its either the degas bottle or air in the system so i bleed it again today and drove for an hour with ac on around town and it didnt get hot just right below half. Any ideas

Yes, mine was cracked. The degas bottle is the most common problem causing the overheating. The second is air in the system.

 

[hite337]

Thanks for all the compliments guys. I hope this write up will help some people.

 

[NickLS]

This is an awesome write up... Changed mine out in alittle over an hour. Worst part was that lower hose.

Question: What if during the bleeding process, during all the idle'ing process, no coolant comes out of the air bleed valve? All fluids at MAX and idleing for 10 minutes, car temp good.

Your suppose to leave the heater bleed valve open during idle steps until continuous flow of coolant comes out of the valve, then you close it...

Mine never had coolant flow through it? What would be the next step?

 

[JDS353]

just a saftey hint after tightening the hose clamps take a pair of neddle nose pliers and bend down the end of the tab on the clamp so the next mech dosn't cut his hand on it.

 

[manoli]

This is an awesome write up... Changed mine out in alittle over an hour. Worst part was that lower hose.

Question: What if during the bleeding process, during all the idle'ing process, no coolant comes out of the air bleed valve? All fluids at MAX and idleing for 10 minutes, car temp good.

Your suppose to leave the heater bleed valve open during idle steps until continuous flow of coolant comes out of the valve, then you close it...

Mine never had coolant flow through it? What would be the next step?

Thats weird! everytime ive bleed mine coolant came out after about 5 minutes, make sure you read the tech artitcle and follow exactly what it says to do.

The hose against the firewall was the hardest part of this whole job at least for me...

 

[hite337]

The hose against the firewall was the hardest part of this whole job at least for me...

I agree, and using a regular hose clamp when you put it back on helps alot, IMO

 

[manoli]

I agree, and using a regular hose clamp when you put it back on helps alot, IMO

+1 I felt like such an amateur trying to get that damn clamp off!

 

[Villalta]

+2 I agree, definitely the worst part. I think a pair of channel lock pliers would have made it easier but I couldnt find mine, so I tried just about every other tool I had, Some may have gotten thrown when they didnt work. :shifty:

 

[hite337]

I think a pair of channel lock pliers would have made it easier

Not much easier.

 

[lseguy]

tip: If you remove the drivers wheel and the wheelwell liner..you'll see a hole in the fender sheetmetal that gives you perfect, clear access to that hoseclamp.
in fact, when I purchased my Degas bottle new from the dealer a few years back, it came with a new lowerhose attached to the bottle.

 

[hite337]

tip: If you remove the drivers wheel and the wheelwell liner..you'll see a hole in the fender sheetmetal that gives you perfect, clear access to that hoseclamp.
in fact, when I purchased my Degas bottle new from the dealer a few years back, it came with a new lowerhose attached to the bottle.

The clamp I was referring to was the clamp behind the drivers side valve cover. I leave the hose attached to the reservoir when I pull it out of the car but I didnt realize you could get to the other clamp from the wheel well. I never looked around alot when I changed my fuel filter.

 

[hite337]

I guess you can probly reach that lower hose clamp from the wheel well. It looks pretty tight though.

 

[dpvan56]

Thank you so much for this post! My son and I changed out the degas bottle last night....other than a few skinned knuckles, it went without a hitch. Being a woman, my small hands came in handy when dealing with the lower hose. Couldn't have done it without you guys!!