How to fill empty radiator without rad. cap?

[Recoil spring]

I replaced my upper radiator hose on my 2000 vintage TC 4.6 liter V-8 yesterday and normally I would add coolant through the top radiator cap and not the overflow reservoir.

Apparently this car does not have a radiator cap and has only the overflow reservoir tank to add anti-freeze. Checked the owner's manual and my Lincoln repair book, they just said to use the reservoir tank. While I did not loose or have to add much, what if I had to replace the lower hose, or the radiator itself with all that coolant gone?

In other words while I am waiting for the overflow tank to add anti-freeze while the engine is running, I am operating a car with out enough or no liquid at all which seems nuts, is there some technique that I don't know about to add anti-freeze?

Thanks.

[aleekat]

In other words while I am waiting for the overflow tank to add anti-freeze while the engine is running, I am operating a car with out enough or no liquid at all which seems nuts, is there some technique that I don't know about to add anti-freeze?

With engine off, you fill up the overflow tank first. I will burp some. Just keep filling until it stops burping. Then start the engine. You shouldn't have to add much more after that since you didn't drain the entire system. And you carry some with you the first few times you drive it.

[Recoil spring]

Thanks for the info, I am thinking of draining the rad. to remove some of the older anti-freeze, supposedly had it flushed last year by a local shop, but am beginning to doubt it as this stuff is looking kinda old and have only driven the car 3,000 miles since I bought it. Had a drain pan under the car when I pulled the upper hose and could see the quality of the glycol.

Did carry some water and anti-freeze with me today while driving around to do errands, checked the level. Ok so far, but if this was a customer am I expected to tell them to add anti-freeze and check it the first few days after visiting my shop? Most of my clients when I turned a wrench for a living don't understand/don't care about checking it as this is the reason they paid me to work on their cars.

I get the impression that Ford did this to save money, less fittings, less cost to them.

[aleekat]

No idea about saving money. If I worked on it, I would drive it around till fully heated up, bring it back and park it idling. Then check hot and cold.

I got 4 cars in the driveway. Only one has a rad cap. They range from 85-07. And the 85 has no cap.

[olopezm]

When I flushed the system in my '95 (same system as later years) I managed to purge al the air out by filling through the thermostat opening until the level was almost to the top; fitted everything back together and filled to the top via the coolant reservoir. It helps to jack the front passenger side wheel while refilling, that will take most of the air out. Then just idle or drive until it reaches normal temp, let cool and top the coolant to the appropriate level.

I know it's more work than usual, but I rather do that than having air pockets which could cause the engine to overheat...

Oscar.