How does cooling system work?

[95Viper]

How does the cooling system work in a 95?

When the car is cold, should the radiator surge tank be full (i.e. right up to the level of the cap when you remove it)? As it warms, does only the fluid in overflow tank in the facia move up and down? Or, does the fluid move up and down in the surge tank too?

 

[GR8_ASP]

Look in the illustrated Upgrade section under the "How To" menu. In it there in an entry on purging the system. Says all you need to know. There is also a topic for adding a purge valve.

The overflow bottle is in the fascia. The bottle you are referring to is the hot bottle and should be full at all times.

 

[95Viper]

I've done all that but still have to really see it work. For instance, with a properly purged car what should you expect if you just stood there and idled the car?

Should the bottle with radiator cap always be full? Thus the facia tank is the only think that moves up and down?

Mine isn't doing what I think it should so I want to start with the right logic and analyze it from there.

 

[95Viper]

Oops hit post before I was done. I cycled my car through hot and cold twice Saturday.
One time the hot bottle overflowed into the facia bottle. When cooling it only sucked back about half and the hot bottle was low (about 3/4 full).
The second time it overflowed but seemed to **** all it back in and the hot bottle was full.

Could I have a problem with my connection to the overflow bottle? Could the rubber connector off the hot bottle below the radiator cap be bad?

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I know on my 98 which has the same configuration. The hose line from the Hot Bottle to the overflow (fascia) bottle will **** air back into the hot bottle from the slip fitting type of arrangement. Use some small hose clamps to seal up the possible air intrusion on system cooldown.