easy way to bleed the coolant system on a C5 Corvette, by Garrys repair and custom speed shop on YouTube. 1 min 42 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 42 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Park the car on level ground and let the engine cool completely, at least an hour. Never open the pressure cap on a hot engine.
Raise the front of the car on ramps or jack stands. Air rises, so a nose-up angle pushes trapped bubbles toward the surge tank.
Find the small bleed screws on the coolant pipes near the water pump and throttle body. Crack each one open about a turn.
Set a funnel in the surge tank and pour in 50/50 Dex-Cool mix up to the cold fill line. Keep the bottle handy as the level drops.
Watch each bleed screw. When steady coolant with no bubbles runs out, close the screw snug. Do not overtighten it.
Start the engine and set the heater to full hot and the fan on high. Let it idle so the thermostat opens and coolant circulates.
Top up the surge tank as the level falls. Briefly open each bleed screw again until the flow is bubble-free, then close it.
Hold the revs around 2,000 rpm for a minute or two and watch the temperature gauge. Shut the engine off if it climbs past normal.
Let the engine cool fully, then check the surge tank. Top up to the cold line and repeat the bleed if the heater still blows cool.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the front of the car raised during the whole bleed so air collects at the surge tank instead of the heads.
Never open the cap or bleed screws on a warm engine, since scalding coolant can spray out.
Coolant is toxic and slippery, so catch every drop in a pan and take it to a recycling centre.
A heater that blows cold after bleeding usually means air is still trapped, so repeat the bleed once more.
Questions
How do I know all the air is out?
You get a steady stream of coolant with no bubbles from the bleed screws, the heater blows hot, and the level in the surge tank stops dropping. Recheck after a full cool-down.
Can I use plain water instead of Dex-Cool?
Only in an emergency. Use a 50/50 mix of Dex-Cool and distilled water for normal filling, since straight water lowers boil and freeze protection and corrodes the system.
Why does my Corvette still overheat after bleeding?
You may have a stuck thermostat, a leaking pressure cap or a small air pocket left in the heater core. Pressure test the system and rebleed before replacing parts.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
