A bleed valve is needed to vent the air from the radiator, therefore, what are the different types of radiator bleed valves?
The most common are lock shield valves, manual radiator valves, and thermostatic radiator valves.
In a car radiator, the bleed valve is a manual type. I usually use pliers to bleed it and close it.
I really prefer the manual bleed valve to the automatic type used by some radiators.
If you would like to read another article on radiators, click here.
Let’s go down to the details.
Major Types of Radiator Bleed Valve
Radiator plays a very crucial role in the cooling system. Another name for it is a heat exchanger. Its function is to exchange the engine’s heat with the coolant to maintain its temperature.
A faulty radiator can cause the engine to overheat.
Besides corrosion that usually affects the radiator efficiency, an air trap can also hinder the functionality of a radiator.
The air must be removed if there is air in the coolant system. The process of removing the air is called Bleeding.
I am going to mention a few types of radiator bleed valves;
- Thermostatic Radiator Valve.
- Manual Radiator Valve.
- Dual-Fuel Radiator Valve.
- Traditional Radiator Valve.
- Modern Radiator Valve.
- Straight Radiator Valve.
- Angled Radiator Valve.
- Corner Radiator Valve.
How to Bleed a Radiator
There are a few steps to be taken to bleed a radiator. In the below paragraph, let us consider these steps.
Step 1: Prepare a flat-blade screwdriver and a plastic pot (or another container). First, find the air release valve. There is a small hole in the valve, which is the air nozzle. Put the water container under the radiator.
Step 2: Gently loosen the air release valve (usually use a screwdriver to rotate the screw on the air release valve counter-clockwise about 1/4 turn), and stop twisting the air release valve immediately after hearing the sound of gas discharged. Let the gas exhaust itself.
Step 3: The user gently unscrews the water inlet valve, and the water inlet valve can be slightly unscrewed to hear the sound of the water; otherwise, the water flow is too fast, and the gas is not easy to discharge cleanly.
When the air release valve begins to leak water, tighten the air release valve immediately, and the water in the radiator is full at this time.
Where Is The Air Bleed Valve Located
Traps are valves that discharge air or gas from liquid-filled pipes. The air bleeder is located at the top of the radiator’s side.
There are mechanical and automatic air bleeders.
Conventional mechanical air bleeders are opened with a radiator key and closed again after the air has been discharged.
The right time to vent is when you hear a gurgling or knocking sound from the heating system or when the radiator is no longer heating up across its entire surface.
Automatic air vents consist of a valve without a cock and have a floating or inflatable body.
Do All Radiator Have Bleed Valves
Not all radiators have a bleed valve; some are steam radiators, and steam radiators do not have bleed valves.
Rather, they use an air vent to discharge the trapped air, and this is done automatically without the need to bleed.
Regardless of whether it is replacing the water pump, the thermostat or the radiator – air bubbles can form when the fluid in the cooling circuit is replaced.
These disrupt the smooth flow of the cooling circuit – the radiator fluid can no longer circulate properly.
Topping up or filling the coolant can have unpleasant consequences despite all caution.
Air bubbles in the system can lead to expensive consequential damage, such as severe engine overheating.
That’s why it’s important to bleed the cooling system properly after filling or refilling and let the air in the cooling system soften.
Which End Of The Radiator Do You Bleed
At the upper side of the radiator, you will see a bleeding screw.
On the back right of the radiator, when you stand in front of it, there is a bleeder screw, and then leave the cover on and let the car run until the fan turns on, and then bleed it at the screw.
Then, I always do it by checking the cooling system for the correct filling level, checking again the next day when it’s still cold, and refilling it if necessary.
The rest then ventilates itself.
Air can penetrate the liquid, especially when the coolant is changed or refilled.
Unfortunately, very few drivers pay close attention to the engine temperature display.
This display is an essential factor in the vehicle’s ideal function and intact operation.
Even if all other units and systems and the technology in a car work perfectly, the engine constantly overheats, which can have costly consequences.
Do Radiator Come With Bleed Valves
Yes, radiators come with a bleed valve if they are of a type that uses one. For instance, a steam radiator does not use a bleed valve.
But if you purchase a new radiator, it must come with a bleed valve.
You don’t have to buy the bleed valve separately unless you don’t like the one that comes with the radiator, in which case you can replace it with a new one.
Note: In addition to the vent key or pliers (depending on the type of radiator), a cloth and the collecting container (bowl or bowl), we recommend laying out a towel in the area of the valve to protect the floor.
Place the bleeder wrench or pliers on the bleeder valve.
Keep a container or rag underneath to catch any water that leaks. Gently turn the valve counterclockwise until you hear a hissing sound.
The hissing is the sound of air escaping from the radiator.
Keep the valve open until no more air comes out and water flows out evenly. Please be careful not to open the valve too much to avoid overflow.
FINAL WORDS
The most common radiator bleed valves are lockshield, manual, and thermostatic radiator valves.
Although some articles discuss other types of radiator bleed valves, these are the most common ones.
You should remember the location of the bleed valve in the radiator and that it always comes with one unless you prefer another radiator valve.
To bleed the radiator, you bleed from the upper side, not the downside.
Click here to read another article on radiators.
Which type of bleed valve is on your radiator?