Bleeding Valve Problems

[MAD King]

Hello,

after flushing the cooling system and recommending bleeding I drove about 30 minutes and after I turned off the car I heard some hissing sound from under the hood. Opened it and from the bleeding valve came coolant and air/steam out.
Need the valve to be replaced?

Thank you

[Bill Putney]

On the 3.2/3.5 I think it usually means that the threads or seat in the lower intake are shot - needs new lower intake. Remove bleeder itself and inspect for damage. If OK, it is intake problem.

[MAD King]

How can the threads or seat getting damaged with just flushing?

How does this kind of bleeding screw work anyway with just one nut on it?

[Bill Putney]

How can the threads or seat getting damaged with just flushing?

How does this kind of bleeding screw work anyway with just one nut on it?

This recent post by Bob explains it best (http://300mclub.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=27482):

This is what it should look like.
Hole in the side is connected to the hole in the top.
nothing inside, no check valve nothing.
When tightened into the hole the tapered end (left side of image) seats inside the aluminum housing of the lower intake and stops the flow.

There could be some trash between the seat and the bottom of the bleeder that is preventing complete shutoff.

Or someone (perhaps a previous owner?) could have overtightened it, damaging the threads, or breaking the bottom of the seat out of the aluminum intake. The bleeder only needs to be snugged up, not torqued like a regular bolt.

Remove the bleeder and inspect it for damage. While it's out, see if there is something stuck in the seat - or if the seat is missing or broken and dropped down.

[MAD King]

Thank you.

So if the seat or thread is broken, I need a whole lower manifold?
Can't I just replace the valve with a regular M sized screw?

[Maximus]

I think I read a while back that a member here used a peice of wood wedged in the bleeder hole until he got it fixed.

[MAD King]

I will put a M Bolt in.

How to I repair this?

Is there a how-to in the forum?

[Brando26]

I would try to find a way to clean the threads to make sure no metal shavings get into the coolant. Then maybe try to find a screw with the same thread as the original valve.

sent from my HTC smart phone

[Bill Putney]

Epoxy (J&B Weld) the holes in the bleeder and use that for your "bolt"? Might have to put some goop on the threads at the top so it will seal since they are straight (vs. tapered) threads and aren't designed for sealing normally - that would be true on a bolt too.

[MAD King]

Short update: Bleeder Screw was broken. Replaced it and everything is fine now.

Thank you guys.

[Bill Putney]

Cool! Easy/cheap fixes are the best! Life's little way of giving you a little adrenalin rush for a couple of days worrying about it.

[MAD King]

Exactly.