Cooling System Is Different-- How To Fill?

[RupertSportSpider]

I'm new to these cars, so forgive the basic question to follow. I'm stilling working out the alternator mounting issues (for anyone following that drama).

I don't have an external thermostat or the T-fitting in front of the timing cover. I have a thermostat mounted like most other cars inside the head (front of the valley, behind the timing cover). My two radiator hoses go right from the radiator to the engine without any other fittings in between. I have a Prestone fitting at the high point in the heater hose in the back of the head.

My question is, how do I fill the system? My manuals and most advice I see talk exclusively about the external thermostat. My guess is open the heater valve (via the lever inside the car to the hot position?), fill the radiator to overflowing, cap it, then fill the Prestone fitting to overflowing, and cap it. Anything else? Bleeding/burping of some kind?



(Yes, there are no hose clamps on the lower hose; I just mounted it for the photo).
(Also, I realize that I can't just wire the temp gauge senders like that, but I haven't got around to fixing it).
(All other weirdness you may find is due to the DPO or the 2000 engine in a '72 car).


Thanks!

[surfingfreeman]

Here's the link on burping,
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... ng#p141765
scroll down and follow the post By RRoller there are pictures to assist, have also read of manually squeezing/pumping the bottom hose to move any trapped air from the hose into the radiator where it will rise to the top, also have read (thanks Matt) of loosening the hose clamp on the hose that goes from the thermostat junction hose to the radiator and taking a screwdriver and prying the hose open just enough to let any trapped air escape. Might also want to invest in a bleeder "T" kit that installs on the heater hose effectively making it the highest point in the system to where air should ideally flow to. Good luck.
Mike

[vandor]

This setup is a lot easier to fill than the later ones.
Simply fill the radiator, squeeze the top hose to get the bubbles out, fill, repeat a few times until you get no bubbles, and you should be done.

[azruss]

Here is how i did my 70 with a 1438. park on a incline to get the nose up. fill the radiator to the top along with half the overflow bottle. massage both hoses until you cant get any more air out of it and keep topping up. put on the cap, run the car til the stadt opens, allow to cool and repeat the process. I also had good luck letting the car get to temp with the radiator cap off and massage hoses or top up as it warms up.

[RupertSportSpider]

This setup is a lot easier to fill than the later ones.
Simply fill the radiator, squeeze the top hose to get the bubbles out, fill, repeat a few times until you get no bubbles, and you should be done.

Cool, that's much easier!

[surfingfreeman]

My apologies RSS, after looking at your engine cooling set up I see my link with directions was totally useless duh, wrong engine type. Good luck
Mike

[RupertSportSpider]

Hehe, I wasn't gonna say anything.

[Raze]

Add a coolant fill 'T' to the hose from the head to the heater core, it's the highest point in the entire system and allows coolant filling without gymnastics, one of the first modifications I learned a couple years back when I bought my first Fiat...