How do I Bleed the Air Out of the Coolant System on a 2000 Toyota Celica GT?

When a vehicle gets air pockets in the cooling system, it can cause the engine to overheat. Air in the cooling system can also cause the water pump and the thermostat to malfunction. Removing the air pockets from the cooling system in a 2000 Toyota Celica GT is a fairly simple process. The entire job should only take about 30 to 35 minutes to complete.

Things You'll Need:

• Drain or drip pan
• Rags
• Flat styled vice grips or radiator pliers
• 1-gallon standard green antifreeze (Available premixed: 50/50 water/coolant)

1. Begin with a cool engine

Begin with a cool engine. Place the drip pan beneath the radiator, or the radiator overflow bottle. Remove the radiator cap from the radiator directly. If your Celica does not have a radiator cap, then remove the cap from the coolant recovery tank or overflow.

2. Squeeze the upper radiator hose shut

Squeeze the upper radiator hose shut with flat vice grips or radiator pliers.

3. Start the engine

Start the engine. Turn on the heater to full capacity, and switch the selector switch to defrost. This will engage the heater core, in the event that you have air pockets in there as well. Let the car idle for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Remove the pliers or vice grips from the upper radiator hose

Remove the pliers or vice grips from the upper radiator hose, and let the coolant flow naturally. The air that is trapped within the cooling system will now escape via the top of the radiator or through the recovery tank. If you notice either of these places bubbling, then the process is working. If there are no bubbles, clamp the upper radiator hose again. This will force the air out manually, via the water pump and pressure in the lines.

5. Run the engine for another 10 minutes

Run the engine for another 10 minutes when the bubbles begin to slow. This is to make sure that you remove all of the air pockets, and not just the large ones.

6. Fill the radiator with coolant

Fill the radiator with coolant. In the case of the 2000 Celica, use a 50/50 mixture of standard green coolant and water. Top off the system with the vehicle running, until it stops taking coolant, and the overflow bottle is at the "Full Hot" mark.

Tips and Warnings

Flushing your radiator system out every two years or 20,000 miles, is a great way to extend the life of the engine. The coolant not only cools the engine, but also removes internal rust and debris. New coolant produces better results than old coolant.

Coolant/antifreeze contains a chemical known as ethylene glycol, a poisonous chemical. Treat coolant/antifreeze as if it is a poisonous material, and follow the safety instructions on proper use. If you come in contact with ethylene glycol on your skin, flush the area thoroughly for at least 15 minutes, then seek medical attention if a rash occurs. If ingested "induce vomiting immediately." Failure to follow this warning can result in injury or even death to both humans and animals. Please follow the instructions on the material safety data sheet for ethylene glycol, in the "References."

Video showing how to bleed a Celica GTS:

Comments:

• Hey bud! I struggled with trying to get the air out of my cooling system for at least 4 hours! Nothing worked until I watched your video! 2000 Celica. I've been a professional mechanic for 50 years, and couldn't figure it out! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Cheers Brother!
• If you don't properly bleed you will maintain air inside the upper block of the engine and when the engine warms up both fans will run full blast and not want to turn off. The reason is that the engine head will overheat because of the trapped air. Since the coolant temp sensor is located in the upper engine block next to the hose outlet, it sends a message to the computer to cool down the engine. Also be careful to properly plug the engine coolant temp sensor otherwise the fans will not turn off either.