Hello I would appreciate any help if possible

 

Recently had to replace my intercooler radiator in my Fabia MK3 2015 1.2. No problem doing this but I am having problems when trying to re-add coolant to the system.

 

The new coolant in the tank does not budge and I'm assuming this is due to an airlock. The new coolant exits from the intercooler piping when removed, but doesn't seem to be accessing the rest of the loop as I have removed the pipes from standard radiator with no trace of coolant. I have tried various methods seen and read online but to no success. After sitting down and doing a bit more research I have seen in the manual a cooling charge kit is noted as a tool to do this. Is this necessary or should I persevere with a different method?

Hi, welcome.

 

Yes you are supposed to refill under some sort of pressure but if you have the nerve and aren't careless you can carry on - or later refill with pressure/charge tool/kit or other more basic filler funnel kit.

 

You need to start the engine get it running and warmed up, the thermostat needs to open top ups are required.  You may need to put the cap back on and go for a very short driver around the block once or a few times, but always check the level in the tank and top it up.  You may get coolant temp gauge needle up and near or on the red, obviously don't over do that but needle up there means the coolant is hot or very hot not necessarily engine overheating unless it actually is.

 

Now obviously take care, take this advice on the understanding that's it's your car and your responsibility what you do and what the consequences are from your actions, I've got away with doing what I've put but not with your car and I'm not you or you me.

 

I'll see if I can remember what the over fillers are called and find an example for you in the meantime, you already know about charge/pressure-of-some-sort-tools/kits.

 

Edited 19 January, 20251 yr by nta16
typo

One example video of one funnel filler (n spills) kit. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDor5icXxlE&t=1s

 

 

HTH.

 

Another thought - you have put the cabin heater on warmest setting to get the coolant going around the heater matrix?

 

And once you have got the coolant system full do remember to check for coolant leaks on the work you have done and to check the coolant level (when fully cold) for the next few days and using the car (heat and run cycles) to establish its unusual fill level.  This time of year particularly being a little below 'Max' is no concern.

 

And VW in their infinite wisdom(?) are now on 12eve coolant (after 13 obviously) bur either number will do, though best practice not to mix brands and numbers if you can.

 

Probably the plan is to drop all the coolant out, apply a vacuum then let that draw/drag the new coolant into the system, I've bought and used a Draper kit on my other car, a 2011 Audi S4, the other thing that I made up, was a reservoir fluid height extender which I fabricated by buying a cheapish replacement pressure cap, drilled out the pressure relief valve and bonded a length of poly water piping onto that re-purposed pressure cap.

 

I've also resorted to removing the small "fluid return pipe" and applied a vacuum in a bid to prove to myself that the, in the case of that S4, that the charger heat exchangers had been fully flooded with new coolant.

 

Edit:- or maybe just as important, I felt the need to be sure that the electric pump serving that sub-circuit, was filled with coolant - I'll be doing the same thing when I replace the G13 with G12evo in my wife's August 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI, for the same reason.

Edited 19 January, 20251 yr by rum4mo

Thanks very much. I will persevere this weekend with these ideas and let you know.

 

Appreciate the advise. 

Forgot to put I would fill with the engine running for this.

 

If you're not using the car I suggest you take the opportunity to fully recharge the battery using an appropriate battery charger following the instructions for the charger and for the car in your car's Owner's Manual.  If you've lost your very useful paper printed copy you can down load a free pdf copy from the following VWŠkoda website link, you'd be best to enter your VIN for this. - Skoda Owners Manuals - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

 

As much as possible you want to recharge the battery as low (charge rate) and slow as possible rather than higher rate and faster and you certainly have the time (obviously I've no idea about opportunity) to take the time to do the recharge properly.  If the battery is low this may take many hours on lower rate and if the battery is very low then the battery will take many more hours at lower charge rate.  This is the time of year owners and drivers flatten their batteries, just see the breakdown recovery reports.

 

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

 

 

On 19/01/2025 at 13:56, jimbomcmxc said:

cooling charge kit is noted as a tool to do this.

 

This might help:-

 

 

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=VAS+6096+tool

 

Thanks.  AG Falco

Edited 20 January, 20251 yr by AGFalco
added link to tool

On 19/01/2025 at 15:52, nta16 said:

Another thought - you have put the cabin heater on warmest setting to get the coolant going around the heater matrix?

Not any more.

Note in the diagram above there is no valve between the engine and the heat exchanger for the cabin heater.

 

Thanks.  AG Falco

Thanks, force of habit, later thoughts.  So how does the heater get hot and cold then? 

21 hours ago, nta16 said:

So how does the heater get hot and cold then? 

The heat exchanger has a constant supply of water straight front the cylinder head.

This speeds up the heat to the cabin from a cold engine as you are not waiting for all the coolant to warm up.

 

The valves were a crude design which also gave problems with leaking / sticking.

 

It is the air flow that is changed now. A small leak of air does no harm.

So the air can get directed from, all through the heat exchanger, to none through the heat exchanger.

 

Car's are too complex these days.

 

Thanks.  AG Falco

Thanks for your reply, as you say cars are far too complex and particularly the German marques this century,

 

Heater on then if the coolant temperature is rising more than normal on jimbomcmxc's top-up / refill.