Rebuilt engine/ coolant question

How do I prime a rebuilt block with coolant? Is there a specific way of doing it or just keep topping off the radiator? Because that block is bone dry, coolant wise.

You didn't say the year but most engines have a temp sensor on the rear of the head on the drivers side. Use a deep 1/2" socket and back it out until all the air comes out and you start getting antifreeze out, then quickly screw it back in. That should get rid of the bulk of the air bubble in the head. If you can have the nose of the vehicle slightly down hill while doing this, it will help.

It's not a big deal but it is better if you burp it.

The best way is to pick up a prestone flush kit from Advance for 3 bucks. Put it on the top heater core intake hose (the one that goes to the tstat housing)

Take the top rad hose off for a renix or just the cap on the others. Dump your coolant in until it wont take any more. Then lift that flush T as high as you can, use a funnel and keep pouring it in until it wont take any more, burp the top hose as you go.

Fire it up and let the tstat open, and if you have the sensor on the back of the head you want to park it downhill, no sensor? park up hill, now shut er down and drink a beer. Then see if its cool enough to work on...if not then you drank your beer too fast. Get another beer.

Now crack that sensor until coolant comes out, any air in the head will come out.
The up hill method, take the t cap off and fill, close it up then burp the hose, when you do that a few times the air goes to the t and into the overfill. After you run it for a little bit you can lift the T and fill it there. It will probabally just go to the overflow tank.

This method works great, I love using that prestone flush kit. the cap is the highest point in the system.

I like the beer method ;-)
it's a 99 xj with 4.0
thanks. I don't think I have the temp sensor in back either.

A**uming then engine is in the vehicle, radiator, hoses, thermostat and housing installed--have a second pair of hands pour coolant into the radiator through the upper hose while you operate the WP in the correct rotation by rigging up a drill or air ratchet.

Remove the heater hoses from the firewall, rig one to the hood with a wire so that it is vertical, use a funnel and pour coolant into the other hose.

Remove the block drain plug and use a fitting and hand pump to pump coolant into the block.