The Absolute Best Way to Refill Your Engine Cooling System 

I know a few people mentioned the air remaining in tube before opening valve. I have the same brand tool. After vacuuming the system,i remove air hose and connect hose for coolant to gauge and open slightly until coolant gets to gauge. Shut off valve and coolant stays in hose with no air. I then put air hose back on and vacuum system for another minute and then install the coolant hose again and refill system.

thank you for demonstrating how to use my new tool, i thought it was a waste of money at first but with the good tips you pointed out im excited about my purchase

I've used this tool numerous times on an '08 F250 Diesel and several other vehicles and it works great. Recently I purchased a 2012 F150, removed and replaced the T-Stat and coolant. I found a leak with the T-Stat seal (my mistake in reassembly). Saved me adding and loosing coolant. Great tool!

I bought an airlift about 6 months ago and its one of those tools thats so good I honestly don't know how i made it 12 years without one.

Thanks Brian. I bought this system because of your recommendation. Just used it to fill a 2006 Escape Hybrid... took less than 2 minutes.

Thanks for recommending this. I bought one for my 2005 Ford Five Hundred. Worked perfect. I need to buy you a beer!! Thank you!!!

I know this video is crazy old, but I'm so glad I found it. I've had a hell of a time bleeding the cooling system in my GT500. Bought this tool hoping that it helps! Thanks!

THANK YOU ! The tool and the procedure are spot on ! You are the best !

Used this method for second time today. Works like a charm. Thank you!!

Here's a link to the Amazon product page. www.amazon.com/UView-550000-Airlift-Cooling-Checker/dp/B0002SRH5G

I love my airlift, it is such an ingenious solution and doubles as a pressure tester to confirm repairs.. one of the best tools ever made

Just ordered this item, Thanks for the heads up!

Great teacher. You explain things very well.

Nice tool, I'm working on a 1990 ZR-1 and that LT5 is notorious for getting air trapped in the block, this would eliminate any doubt, thanks. 👍👍🏁

Nice demo of this procedure- quick and gets rid of the air bubbles. Very nice. I’m fighting this right now with our 03 Explorer after changing a few components in the coolant sys. I’m going to try your other (rev engine) technique first, then may have to go this route.

I've followed you for awhile now but didn't realize you're local. Going to be setting up an appointment for a 2013 ford escape that has been nothing but a nightmare. Looking forward to this appointment

I've had one for a few years and it works great.

Great video 👍 You wouldn't believe how many people don't know about this.

As usual. it's a great explanation and good video. Thank you very much for a very clear explanation. I've watch a similar video but I end up giving the video a negative comment and thumb's down cause it is not clear that It's hard to understand. you are the best! Thank you for this very professional presentation.

I just bought one . Gotta replace coolant overflow on 06 5.7 Hemi .. thanks for the video

one of my fav tools in my box

Thank you I get what your saying about the taurus now I'll try that, Nice Vid ++++

i use to have this same model uview, then i switched to the cheaper one by uview , the universal one, its alot easier to use, you dont have to switch hoses or mouth adapters.

Thanks a lot. Looks like cool to buy this kit.

Very interesting video; I've never seen this before!

For the home wrench.. Someone who goes a couple years between doing a flush.. The Robinair 75260 vacuum fill might be the way to go..

What the science?! How cool! I need to get one of these.

I want one of these. I do lots of vans with front and rear heater cores. This should be perfect for that zero air pocket fill the first time!

That is cool ! Thanks, must get one !

Great video thanks. How does it work to pull vacuum past a cold (closed) thermostat?

I will have to say I love you. Thanks for saving me almost $1K

Awesome tool!

Works great! shuda got one yrs ago.

Good job, thanks, just what I needed. I think I'll make a video too when I do this on my car ;)

i buy the Uview lift after i have big problems with air pockets in a chevy impala 2007 . 3.5 engine i did with the funnel the first-time i try 3 time in the same problems happens over heating and no heat in the cabin. after i did with thisone problem solved piece of cake. easy to use and avoid you a lot of headaches.

thank you Brian, great information

I do it a little different. I take a clean five gallon bucket, fill it with roughly 3-4 gallons of antifreeze. I then take the hose and completely dip it in the antifreeze and fill it up. I then keep my fingers on both ends (To keep the antifreeze in the hose), and hook it up and open the valve.. This way it lets even less air into the system.. This system is well worth it..

Yes...awesome way...I will refill my f150 coyote cooling system this week.. 😀👍

Fantastic video! Do you have to top off after the car warms up and the thermostat opens?

Thats a neat tool.

Could you use the same vacuum set up to to pull a vacuum and remove the air and then refill the power steering and/or brake fluid systems as well?

well done that was excellent i liked that ,

That’s Bada$$!!! Gotta get it!!!

we just put a engine in a 2010 f150 and has been running. when it gets warm the cooling hoses seem to be really stiff? is this normal?? Thanks Great Videos

Thank you

Great video, Brian does this tool work with a 2010 fusion hybrid? do I vaccum EV and gas motor coolant fill tank? I replaced water pump now car is overheating,

my 20gal home compressor couldn't keep up to pull a vacuum on my van. I was contemplating a degasser chamber and an actual vacuum pump. My kit also did not come with the compression tight fit adapters, just a cone that I have to hold tight in the neck of the radiator. That cone also draws the vacuum from near the top of the core and therefore sucks coolant back out on the next attempt to pull a vacuum.

Well the question is, how much psi are you pushing through the devise? Or does it matter?

Will this also work on the smaller secondary cooling system on the Ford 6.7L as the coolant neck is much smaller?

How will this go for installing the Evans waterless coolant prep fluid and then the waterless coolant?

That is F ing awsum!! I am getting one!!

So many questions (and I know this is an old video but the heck). This appears to have been done on a drained system correct? Because it was mentioned one could also do this after working on a system and apparently already having refilled it to check for things left undone. I assume this is done on a cold engine? If so, that means the thermostat is closed so wouldn't the heater and engine block not even be affected by the vaccum? I guess I don't fully understand the intricasies of using this tool. I just flushed and filled my 2010 Ford Fusion 2.5L cooling system and now having low temp condition. I have heat but the temp around town in in the 160s and highway it might get to 175-180 tops. I've burped the crap out of the system and it is a closed loop system with an expansion tank and is supposed to be somewhat self-burping but I've been doing what I know to burp it (cold engine, cap off, warm engine cap off, even hot engine cap off). Oh, and I have no pressure in the expansion tank after driving - take cap off and nothing - it's at atmospheric pressure.

So if the vacuum pressure drops then you know there is a leak in the system ? Can it be used on the radiator or just on the overflow bottle ? I have a 2003 Caravan and trying to detect a leak but cannot see any traces of coolant anywhere as of yet after I refilled everything.

that is a must on some fords

Can I use a portable tyre air compressor with this tool or does it have to be a powerful air compressor.

Can the coolant could pass thru the Thermostat while the engine is cold when using this tool?

Does this awesome tool work on older Nissans witheVG33E engines??

Shop hose? I'm wondering, for garage use, if this can work with small air compressor?

What should indo about the initial air when starting the fill? How would ingo about geting that air out... Hmm thinking of some how filling the tube through the line first to further minimize air in system

Cool tool. Don't you run the risk of too much vacuum since it isn't regulated? If it is causing the hoses to collapse, couldn't it also suck in a freeze plug or something like that? Also should that radiator hose have a spring/coil inside to prevent it from collapsing like that?

So, having an issue with my 2012 f150 5.0. I've flushed it, changed (all OEM parts) the water pump, the t piece, tstat as well as used a uview airlift to pull the air out. I left the airlift on for a half hour or so. all the hoses sucked shut. I'm now having issues where it won't circulate coolant. I've made sure the tstat opens as well. Any ideas? I've also done the idle 30 seconds, then rev up to try to force coolant through everything. Both upper and lower hose is hot, both in and out hose for heater core are hot, but the degas bottle won't move. Temps are getting up to 220+ with just normal unloaded driving and works the fan really hard because of it. HAAAAALP. Lol. Thanks in advanced!

Can I use it for power steering too?

Got a bad problem with my ford escape. Runs good for days and all of a sudden it loses power nd and the front end starts shaking like crazy. Do you have any idea what it might be.

I just tried using this exact same tool on a 2017 F150 with the 5.0 and it wouldn't suck down into a vacuum at all. I could not find any place that was possibly leaking. Gauge stayed at 0 and the hoses did not begin to collapse at all. I'm not sure what the problem was. I was pretty disappointed after spending that type of money on this kit. I was using a 60 gallon compressor with about 140 psi. The main part of the tool fit tightly into the neck of the fill tank. I ended up doing it the old fashion way by using a Lisle no spill funnel and adapter on the bottle and doing several heat up and cool down cycles to get the level right and the air out of the system.

Please help...Just did my 07 f150 4.6. Replaced the water pump and t stat. Removed the t stat and upper rad hose. Ran garden hose in the degas till water ran clear out the top rad hose. Did same for heater core and rad. Pressurized system, held 16psi. Drained rad, hooked up coolant vacuum, vacuum held but was slowly coming down. (Figured it might be not a tight seal). Only sucked up 1 gallon of 50/50 and now resivoir is to the cold fill line. Haven't started the engine yet because I'm replacing power steering lines and haven't put the fun clutch and shroud back on to give me more room for the ps lines. Why would it not take the full amount approximately 2.5 gallons??

How empty does the system have to be? can you just drain the radiator? or do you need to remove thermostat etc and get a complete drain?

is it possible to change the fluid entirely this way without draining it? My mechanic telling me that there is a change of damaging the drain valve if I try to unscrew it from the radiator. I'd like to know if there is a way to do it without touching it at all?

When this is pulling the air out will it pull out any trapped water in the system out as well?

I have a similar tool but cant get get it to hold a vacuum. I know there is a leak somewhere but it's not leaking visibly to my eyes such as no puddles anywhere. The question is this; Could a leaking head gasket cause my 4.2 to lose the vacuum during this process? I'm thinking that's my problem.

Been using this way for years,never fails.better to use a bucket and zip tie the hose to an extension or put some big nuts and bolts on it to weigh it down so it stays at the bottom of the bucket and doesn't curl up and suck in air.

This tool keeps wanting to suck up coolant rather than air, does the 3.7L cyclone need additional draining beyond radiator petcock to vacuum refill properly?

Hey Brian . . . what will happen with the thermostat during this vacuum test or won't it matter .

I did the same thing by drilling a hole in the cap and using my vacuum pump. Later I filled the hold with caulking. No special tools needed except the pump and adapters

Awesome tool and you do awesome work but one thing I can't figure out there's air in the hose to begin with so it looks like it sucks that in unless you fill the hose with coolant prior to opening the vacuum valve?

I might have missed it but from the air hose to the pressure gauge hooked on the coolant reservoir Where is the other end of the hose connected to?

Question. Do you need to burp the hose that goes into the coolant container before you open up the valve to draw the coolant in? Because at first the hose is empty so when you first open up the valve to start drawing the coolant in wouldn't there be that little bit of initial air being sucked in?

yeah bout that U view Works excellent I use it all the time at work I'm also Ford Technician I enjoyed watching your Channel I also like watching South Main Auto with Eric O keep up the good work Buddy

Wow, it just uses air. At first I thought that I had to use my vacuum pump that I use for air conditioning. Good tip.

How minimum of existing coolant (that I will reuse) can I leave it in there? Say 50%, would the sucking get all the air out, or any existing coolant (that I want in) out?

How do you use it on a vehicle that has a radiator cap?

Will this work on my 392 challenger?

After hooking up vacuum, I did not see it take out any old coolant. Did I miss something here? Thank you.

Have different system, was told system need to be completely drained to use. We cannot simply use to top off or remove air pockets, is this true, must we have it completely drained?

We just attempted to drain the coolant on a 2010 Buick Lucerne (V6). I couldn't find a radiator drain anywhere finally concluded that a vacuum tool must be needed on this car.

Does this vacuum all the way to the heater core?

Shouldn't purge the air out of the coolant fill hose? Other wise you are adding some air back into the system.

About the air and the hose how do you purge that

does the portable small compressor with 150psi will work instead of that workshop air compressor?

I've always wanted to get one of these..my question is do you still need to run the vehicle until the thermostat opens to get the rest of the coolant in?

What happens to the air in the refill tube when you first open the valve? Seems like by starting with the tube empty you're injecting a small air pocket into the system before the coolant starts flowing.

Confused,where the vacuum is from?can't see how or where you connect the inlet and outlet hose ?

Wow so if I'm understanding this correctly you do a normal drain of your coolant system, it's empty with whatever residual fluid that's trapped, you hook up this device and pull a vacuum and that vacuum alone is sufficient to draw in the new coolant to replace the old stuff that's already been drained and emptied out.

Have you ever had any issues using this system. For example, vaccum sucking through water pump shaft affecting the seal, or imploding heater core, or weak corrosion spots beginning to leak? Very interested to know any possible down sides to look out for. I know it doesn't seem likely because the max possible vacuum would be roughly the same as 14.7psi of reverse pressure, and many Fords systems are now rated to 19-20psi. But still interested to be forwarned about possible issues, especially on the 2.3L 2.5L Duratecs. Thanks and great vid as always.

Ok, so I have a question.When I drain my Cummins 5.9 coolant, there is a few gallons left in the block, if I use this tool, where is the remaining coolant going to go?

I have a 2001 Mustang 4.6 and am having a lot of problems getting all the air out so I'm going to be buying one of these. Do you have to have all the coolant drained out of it or can or can it be partially full?? I'm assuming the the vacuum will suck what you have in it out and the then the vacuum will draw the new in?

Degas bottle on a 2017 f150 has a quarter inch over flow hole where neither of the adapters are long enough to create a tight seal. Anyone have any recommendations?

I was watching your flush video and I have 1 more question for you... couldn't I i mix the the flush with water and suck it in to the system that way to make sure there is no air in the system, let the vehicle run for the time required, drain the system per your procedure, flush the system with a hose then vacuum the system and add new antifreeze?

Great tool! Problem is, I have no shop air in my garage, so I can't use it.

Hi there, I'm thinking about getting a coolant system flush and fill done on my 2010 F150 with almost 100,000 km/ 62,000miles on it at my local ford dealer. Would most ford dealers have and use a tool like this to perform the flush and fill?

Does this tool completely fill the entire system even if there is a thermostat separating the engine block circuit from the radiator circuit?