How long does it take to bleed the air out of the cooling system?
Asked by Poppy Mar 26, 2015 at 03:28 AM about the 2005 Chevrolet Impala FWD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
Engine running hot (hot engine
coolant light comes on), but heater
blows cold. Also while coolant light is
on there's steam or white smoke
coming from water pump area.
Sounds like a tea kettle whistling.
2 Answers
Just a few minute,s,but if you hear whinning you have a leak.
Leak around the water pump could be a gasket. A common problem is the thermostat. It does not have a bypass hole and if it goes bad may stick closed. Solution is simple - replace the thermostat. Job takes about an hour. Remove the rubber air hose from bewteen the air filter and the manifold. Unbolt the thermostat housing and install new thermostat. Be sure to buy one with the small bypass hole. Autozone carries both closed and open for around $15. The tricky part with the job is access to the lower fastener. You need nimble fingers. If you are not a mechanic, just take it to your local auto shop. Should cost under $150. If this does not solve the leak problem, they may suggest you replace the water pump at the same time. This will include a new gasket to stop it leaking and spraying. You will usually know this is occurring if you get a squealing sound when you start her up. Hope this helps. Let me know if you need further advice through this site.