This is not a vacuum issue but simply a low coolant issue caused by a leak of some sort. All radiators are sealed as such, doesn't mean they can't be opened, just means they are self presurized when hot to keep the engines boiling point higher to prevent the engine from overheating.
Just thought I would mention this so you under stand there is no vacuum required to bleed to the air from the engine block.

 

Thanks fellas. My coolant level looks pretty spot on. I suppose it could be marginally low, but boy...not by much at all. As for coolant leaks in general, she seems pretty tight. I had the head gasket replaced about 8,000 miles ago by a Rover specialist.

I'll bleed/fill as prescribed by you guys.

The sloshing is so faint I barely hear it, but I do hear it in the first few miles I drive. By late afternoon of driving around a bit, I can't hear it as much.

Thanks for your help.....again.

 

On a Rover how the coolant bottle looks when there is air trapped in the system is not a good guide, cause no matter what the level shows, you still have a trapped air bubble that if not taken care of acts as a hot spot in the engine eventially causing you more grief. Make sure that you fill the coolant bottle, with DexCool, all the way to the top when bleeding.

 

Not offended at all, not new to rovers just to this site. Just wanted to give other options than blown head gasket. I would normally see a blown hg in the oil or rust in the exhaust. If something is leaking it has to go somewhere!! I just went through this same scenario with mine 2 weeks ago. Pulled a vacuum and been holding steady since.

 

With Rovers, if you have an inner mix and the oil has gone milky, the engine is shot. If you are burning off coolant. it doesn't cause rust in the exhaust pipe, the average exhaust contains a ton of water from burning fuel which over time may cause a little rust but it is minimal.
I don't believe that this guys head gasket are failing, he just had them replaced, but if the coolant level has dropped low enough to cause air noise in the heater, then he does need to keep an eye on the level after bleeding the system and if need be do a coolant pressure test if it contiues to drop.

 

So, what kind of incline do I need to park on? Slight? Front wheel 6" above the rear? Rough idea?

Secondly, the bleed screw you refer to - is that the one right above the radiator? If that's the one, I'm curious how an air bubble seemingly located behind my fire wall would venture all the way to the forward part of the engine. Seems too easy.

 

The water in an exhaust caused by the combustion of gasoline is clean, you get rust from the chemicals in the coolant. Thats the whole reason you should flush your radiator in the first place. Just depends on how long they let the leak go, anit-freeze will surely rust an exhaust if its left alone.

 

6" plus work and as far as bleeding the air, it gets trapped in the top of the engine not the heater.
remove the bleed screw and add fluid till i comes out the hole then put the screw back in.

 

This is painful. Shouldn't be this hard.

I parked with front wheels about 7" above the rear. Let it sit for 4 hours. Backed the bleed screw off. Filled the coolant bottle to the tippy top....no fluid escaped the bleed hole.

Uh....what now?

My marginally knowledgeable British car specialist said the air would need to be bled from one of the two coolant hoses exiting the fire wall at the high point. That seems suspect.

 

You didn't fill the coolant bottle to the very top and continue to pore slowly until coolant comes out.
Got to keep poring, that is the whole idea, slowly pore and the gravity of the coolant in the coolant bottle will force air out, once you see the coolant trickle out, then you can put the plug back in.