I have a 2007 XK X150 4.2 that I just replaced the lower radiator hose on. I had to drain the system to replace the hose. Everything is completed and I filled the reservoir per the instructions in the shop manual and I don't seem to be getting any coolant going back into the engine. The tank is full, filled it till the bleeder quit bubbling. Ran the car watched the temp and the car got to 220 when I shut it off. No coolant left the tank and my climate system never blew hot air. Have I missed a step or is something else the issue?

 

Just keep filling the tank and running the engine. Eventually it will stabilise.

Richard

 

What I did that worked phenomenally well is get a two-inch clear flexible hose three feet long and stuck in on top of the ....... oh yeah, you don't have an intercooler. I guess it could work on the coolant tank as well. BUT, place the hose vertically on top of the open tank and use a shop vac or equivalent to suck the fluid up most of the way. Then let it settle. Repeat until no bubbles are indicated. I've not tried on the coolant tank, but the removed bung on the top of the intercooler on -R cars works really well.
Vacuum bleeding, I do believe the shop manual also suggests this, but expensive contraptions are usually used.

 

The cooling system capacity of the 4.2 liter V8 is 8.5 liters. The radiator holds aboit 6.5 and the eigine and hoses hold about 2. If you are lucky you'll get 6 to 7 liters out.
There is a process described in the Shop Manual on pages 1513-1515, which makes changing the fluid It look easy, but it's a good idea to "burp" the system to get any trapped air out. I ended up using a Harbor Freight Tools Pressure Test Kit, which had the proper adapter for the expansion tank fill port, and alternately pressurizing and de-pressurizing the system. There is a much longer story about how I spent three days flushing a normally aspirated 5 liter XK, but I won't trouble you with it.

 

Do it once, do it right, use a vacuum filler. There's way too many places for air to become trapped in these things, so any other way is just half assed.

 

I would try cracking the drain plug and let some of the coolant run out (collect in suitable container) while adding coolant.