Follow up on V6 Coolant Bleeder - photos and details of damage

[TomPJr]

Hi Team,

A couple days ago I posted a request for help on my 2000 V6 LS Coolant bleeder. I could not figure out how it worked, since turning it did nothing at all. Well, turns out the entire top hose assembly with the bleeder was completely disintegrated inside. For those that might want to know, the bleeder is a large plastic plug shaped like large plastic screw. It reminds me of the big drywall anchors, with an O-Ring at the top. Screwing it counterclockwise like a conventional screw retract it from its hole. My bleeder was so deteriorated that the lower half of the "screw" was disintegrated and presumably stuck in my DCCV which was bad. It was not until the small line on the top radiator hose unit also crumbled off that I realized what a mess I had on hands.

So if you are like me, taking on bleeding the cooling system for the first time, and you want to see what the bleeder looks like, here are two photos - one of the bleeder hole with the "threaded" bits of material to receive the bleeder plug, and the second is of my severely disintegrated bleed plug.

Honestly, Ford should be ashamed to make critical parts out of a plastic that will literally decay in the environment it is meant to operate in. My LS has 53k original miles and this part is already returning itself to the earth.

My Motorcraft replacement part is on it's way.

Hope this helps someone.

Tom

 

[milehighmikey]

It happens to them all. The part is weak and if you do not understand how it operates, you can easily break it off before it is fully deteriorated. I just bought an aftermarket piece off rockauto that does what this does, using the same plug, for around $45 or so. Totally worth it compared to the OEM price. http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=2017412&cc=1363621&jsn=746
The one in my car had lost its inside 'threads' a couple of years ago, after replacing it with new oem in 2010. Right now, it is still installed, with 3 or 4 tie wraps running across it to hold it in place and not pop out under system pressure, and has been that way for 40K miles. I'm waiting to install the replacement hose for a bit longer when I can take the car out of service for a few days. I'm at 292,450 miles right now.

 

[LS4me]

That's not the coolant bleed. The coolant bleed is the tube back by the brake fluid reservoir. Not sure what that is called. I do know the upper radiator hose ain't cheap!!!!!

 

[TomPJr]

Well LS4me, from the procedures posted, it is the engine coolant bleed specific to the V6 cars. The bleed opening at the bulkhead by the brake fluid reservoir is the the bleeder for the coolant on the heater end of the circuit. Both need to be bled when following the bleed sequence. From what I have read, the coolant system is filled until the engine bleed valve flows with coolant. Then, with the engine bleeder closed, the heater bleeder near the brake reservior is opened, heat is set to max, car is idled until coolant flows freely from the heater bleed that you have referenced. There is then a procedure after cool-down to repeat the process. Regarding the upper radiator hose, it wasn't too expensive... about half the cost of the DCCV! Rock Auto had a cheapo version for Forty-some bucks, but I opted for the Motorcraft part for a bit over Ninety bucks - I've never bought a cheap part and had a good experience.

Hope this thread helps others jumping into the bleed procedure.

For fun, here is a shot of my LS in the driveway just before going into the garage for DCCV surgery - hope it survives!!
Tom

 

[joegr]

That's not the coolant bleed. The coolant bleed is the tube back by the brake fluid reservoir. Not sure what that is called. I do know the upper radiator hose ain't cheap!!!!!

Back by the reservoir is the heater coolant bleed, both V6 and V8.
The screw he is showing is the V6 engine coolant bleed, AFAIK.

 

[LS4me]

Well LS4me, from the procedures posted, it is the engine coolant bleed specific to the V6 cars. The bleed opening at the bulkhead by the brake fluid reservoir is the the bleeder for the coolant on the heater end of the circuit.

Oh... OK...