How to Bleed a Caravan's Radiator Air Lock
by Dan FerrellAny time you remove the coolant from your Dodge Caravan's radiator and refill the unit for service, pockets of air can get trapped in the cooling system. If not removed, the air locked inside will cause the engine to overheat. If you overlook the problem, components closest to the air pockets may crack or warp. However, you can prevent expensive repairs to your Caravan by purging the air from the system right in your driveway and save in auto-service costs at the same time.
Step 1
Park your Caravan in a well-ventilated area, open the hood and remove the radiator cap.
Step 2
Top off the radiator with an equal mixture of antifreeze and distilled water, if necessary, and replace the cap. Also, add coolant to the coolant reservoir to bring the level up to the "MAX" mark, if necessary.
Step 3
Start the engine for about 20 minutes so the engine reaches operating temperature.
Step 4
Turn off the engine and wait about 20 minutes for the engine to cool.
Step 5
Add coolant to the reservoir to bring the level up to the "MAX" mark again. As air is bleeding out of the system, the coolant level will go down.
Step 6
Repeat steps 2 through 5 two more times so the coolant level in the reservoir stabilizes and then close the hood.
References
- "Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager & Chrysler Town & Country Automotive Repair Manual"; Alan Ledoux and John H. Haynes; 2002
- "Modern Automotive Technology"; James E. Duffy; 2003
Things You'll Need
- Antifreeze
- Distilled water
Warnings
- Never remove the radiator or coolant reservoir cap once the engine has reached operating temperature. At this point, the coolant is extremely hot and under pressure and will spray out and burn you, if you remove either cap.
Writer Bio
Since 2003 Dan Ferrell has contributed general and consumer-oriented news to television and the Web. His work has appeared in Texas, New Mexico and Miami and on various websites. Ferrell is a certified automation and control technician from the Advanced Technology Center in El Paso, Texas.
