kalyan

My wife's 08 CS threw the P2181 CEL. I cleared it and it came back after few days. Looked up the forums and I guess i need to change the thermostat. I am also changing the water pump, the socket and pulley while I am there.

Looks like I will be draining quite a bit of coolant before replacing the thermostat and I want to make sure I fill and bleed it right with no air pockets. It looks like I need a vacuum bleeder to do this job right. Any one have recommendations on which one to use for this project? I am thinking this will be a good investment since I can also use it on my Jeep and the 911 turbo. Oh, instructions on how to use the system on the vehicle will be much appreciated as well.

Many thanks and cheers!!

Tom M

I used this one when I changed the water pump & thermostat on my 2011. Worked perfectly.


I think most any of them can probably get the job done. The sad part is they're pretty much a one time use for most of us. Still though, saved a ton of $$$ over having the dealer do the work.

Wisconsin Joe

Vacuum bleeding is nice, but not essential.

The system will push the air up to the expansion tank after a couple of heat/cool cycles. You just have to keep an eye on the level and top it off a couple of times.

dpatel710

I bought and used a cheap generic one off ebay - gets the job done just fine. When away from my garage, I have used the method Wisconsin Joe said as well just fine.

Very easy to use a vac bleeder: find the right rubber seal to fit the opening on the coolant tank, place the rubber sleeve onto the vacuum bleeder and attach it to coolant tank. Hook up air compressor, draw vac, close valve and monitor vac to ensure you have no significant leak in coolant system. Try to pre-fill the coolant fill line so that you aren't sucking air into the system, dump end of line into bucket of coolant, attach fill line to vac bleeder, open it up and it sucks the coolant down!

kalyan

Thanks for the suggestions all!

Does all the coolant needs to be drained completely in order to use this tool or can there be partial coolant in the engine?
I have changed water pumps before and always "burped" the system, but those engines were cheaper to replace. Just want to make sure I do the job right.

dpatel710

I had only drained the coolant from the radiator when I used it and it turned out ok. One word of caution - since it draws a vacuum, it will flatten all the rubber coolant hoses. If the rubber hoses have any dry aging, this may lead to a leak.

Also, from a BTDT standpoint, be sure to replace the small diameter plastic coolant crossover pipes for the cylinder heads if it is old, looks like the 957 part # is 948-106-026-04. My 955 had the aluminum pipes done at the dealer with the PO but they forwent changing this pipe and it blew on me while on a road trip.

slavie

I bought one of the cheap $40 or $50 ones off eBay to use on one of my other cars. I had to make a few minor modifications to it - basically lube up the main bolt that you use to tighten the fitting to the tank, as it was dry and not allowing me to tighten it enough to make a good seal, and I had to change the compressor fitting as it did not work with any of my existing quick connects. After that, was able to draw about 27inHg of vacuum fairly quickly (was enough for me), let it hold the vacuum for a few minutes just to test (it did), and filled 'er up. Worked great, certainly easier and faster than the couple of hours it takes to warm up and cool down the engine to burp the old fashioned way.

I already had a coolant pressure tester, so only was looking for the vac filler. If I had neither, I would likely have purchased one of the sets that does both pressure test and vacuum bleed. While testing the system for leaks under vacuum will expose some of the leaks, testing it under working pressure is better, and you can do it when the system is filled. The pressure tester allowed me to find a hose (on another car again) that would only seep under pressure and not otherwise. Just my 2c.

My 08 GTS at 95k is slowly loosing coolant and sometimes I get that coolant smell on a warm engine. No codes, yet, but I'm planning to just dig in there one of these days and replace it all in one shot - WP, Thermostat, the plastic pipe in the V, one of the hoses and/or T's in the back have to be replaced as they disintegrate upon removal, and finally drill and tap the stupid nipple that un-glues itself on the back under the HPFP. Fill with new coolant, and should not have to touch it for at least the next 50k.

kalyan

I am not planning on removing the intake manifold so those vent pipes will have to stay until another time. slave, you have a big to-do list there, buddy!

CaptainGSR

I bought the Airlift . I used it on my cayenne, when i replaced my coolant temperature sensor.
It is a high quality tool, and a lot of fun to use. I highly recommend it.
You do need a compressor to use it.