Today I changed my oil, and flushed my cooling system. When I got in the car to put it in the garage, I noticed a sound like wate flowing comming from the fromnt of the car. Any ideas?

 

What you are hearing is air-bubles mixing with the coolant/water as it circulates around the cooling system and through the heater core (like a mini-radiator, inside the dash).

This is typical after a coolant flush and although not cause for alarm, it does require immediate attention.

You will need to top off the system with coolant/water: Do this several times, until the liquid has found it's way to all the places in your system that are now occupied by air. This should be done before any significant driving is done, as a partially filled cooling system is at greater risk of corrosion, damage to either thermostat, waterpump, or worst-case scenario, the engine (where "hotspots" can be created if air is present).

I recommend:

1) Let the engine cool (hood open) for about 2 hours.
2) Using a shop-towel over the cap, open the radiator cap slowly to release any pressure (there shouldn't be much, if any)
3) Fill the radiator directly with coolant or a mixture of coolant/distilled water to top level.
4) Replace radiator cap
5) Start engine and let run approx. 2 minutes, occasionally bring RPM's up to 1500 or so, then dropping back to idle.
6) Shut engine off
7) Repeat from Step (2) until system no longer "gurgles," or the level remains consistent.*

*The engine should not be allowed to reach normal operating temperature during this procedure. It is unsafe to open the radiator fill cap while the engine is hot! (disclaimer )

Good luck!

-KWheelzSB-

 

I did the procedure for letting the air out by letting the engine run with the cap open. I will try topping it off. What do you consider a significant amount of driving.

 

i get a small squeaking sound coming from the driver side of the dash when i drive and i don't have any idea what it is. it'll sqeak for a little bit, disappear for a minute or so, then it will come back again. any comments/ideas/suggestions?

 

Sorta subjective, I guess. Personally, if it were my car, I'd make it a priority to get it done before the car left the driveway again, but that's me. Have cars been run while low on coolant and survived before? Yes. Will the earth stop on axis if you don't deal with it right away? Not likely. But if you're going to do your own service, doing it right is your best insurance against future problems.

Best,

-K-

 

I've got a third gen, but I've noticed the same thing. Whenever I shu the car off, I heard a water flowing sound from the passenger side glove box area. So, should I try the same thing that you were describing to mb1?

 

Can't hurt to check it. You may solve the problem that way. Also make sure the coolant reserve/overflow tank is at the appropriate level (hot or cold) as suggested in your owner's manual.

 

It's the plastic tubes behind the defroster vents on the dash rubbing against the inside of your dash.

This appears to be a common problem with 4th Gens. Simply stick a small thick (1/8") piece of cardboard between your windshield and the dash, and push it in far enough to where it is not visible.

This pushes the dash back ever so slightly and seems to solve the problem. It also should not be visible, so noone will know the difference. Worked for me.

IanS

 

cool! thanks man

 

That's what I did when I changed my coolant. Leave the cap open. Took like 20 minutes and I revved the engine every so often to get the coolant to flow faster and force any stubborn bubbles thru.

DW

 

Something I forgot. . .

To fully circulate the system, including the heater core, make sure you put the interior heater control on full HOT with the fan in at least the #1 position when you are performing the above procedure.

(Otherwise, the coolant will not circulate through the heater core).

Sorry!

 

Someone pointed out to me that the Max does not have a heater core anymore. Rather, a sophisticated set of vents/pipes to xfer hot air from the engine to the interrior. That air is heated by a "little" radiator (yeah, heater core here, but this one is always on, no matter what setting of the climate control) sitting in the engine bay, not in the dashboard like older systems. I haven't verified it, but its something like that.

This system is better because coolant is always going thru the "heater core," so there's less chance of it corroding and developing leaks. If the core has to be replaced, you don't have to rip apart your dashboard to replace it.

DW