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