How to Bleed a Van Radiator

Once the coolant breaks down, it cannot protect the engine block as it should.

The radiator is the main component that holds the coolant for the engine. The coolant circulates through the radiator and out the top radiator hose. The coolant then travels through the engine block to keep the engine cool. The coolant then circulates back through the bottom radiator hose and back into the radiator. Change the coolant inside of the radiator as required by the vehicle manufacturer's interval guidelines. Once the coolant breaks down, it cannot protect the engine block as it should and this can cause the engine to over heat.

Things You'll Need

• Protective gloves
• Drip pan
• Pliers
• New antifreeze coolant

Instructions

1. Park the van on a level surface and open the hood. Set the emergency brake as an extra safety precaution.

2. Wait for the engine to completely cool off before bleeding the radiator. It can take up to a couple of hours for the engine to completely cool off.

3. Put the protective gloves on and check the radiator cap to see if it has cooled down completely. If so, slowly push down on the cap and turn the cap counterclockwise. Slowly release the cap to see if any pressure is on the radiator cap. Then, remove the cap from the radiator.

4. Slide under the front of the van and locate the small drain plug on the bottom side of the radiator. The radiator drain plug on most vans is located on the driver side bottom of the radiator. Position the drip pan under the drain plug.

5. Turn the drain plug counterclockwise with the pliers until the coolant begins to come out of the radiator. To completely bleed the radiator, open the drain plug all the way and allow all of the coolant to drain into the drip pan. When finished, tighten the drain plug back down tight. To complete the job, fill the radiator back up with coolant and close the hood.

Tips & Warnings

• The drain plug on the van radiator can also be loosened and tightened with an adjustable wrench.

• Use extreme caution when working around hot coolant and a hot radiator.

• Wear safety glasses when draining the coolant.

• Dispose of used radiator coolant as required by local and state laws.

References

• "Chevrolet Astro & GMC Safari Haynes Repair Manual for 1985 thru 2005"; John Haynes; 2006
• "Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager & Chrysler Town and Country Haynes Repair Manual for 1996 thru 2002 including Grand Caravan but excluding information on All-Wheel Drive and alternative fuel models"; John Haynes; 2003
• Radiators.com: How to System Maintenance on a Radiator

Resources

• Autozone.com: Free Online Automotive Repair Information