I put a 160 T-stat in the car and was wandering how to bleed all the air out of the cooling system?

 

Crank it and run it. Add water as needed. The reverse flow LT1s were the odd *****. LS1s are easy.

 

Fill it gradually, leave the cap off, watch for the air bubbles to bleed off and continue to slowly fill until the system opens and starts drinking the coolant into the engine. Top it off and monitor the temp gauge to see everything is in check.

 

It's weird, everytime I drained my radiator, and refilled it, my car would always run way to hot the first time I started it, and I was topping it off as it ran. Then I'd turn off the engine, let it cool a bit, then run it again, top it off, then it would sit right at 192 degrees....

Its almost like the thermostat doesn't open up the first time, but does the second time! Maybe an air pocket or something...

It this just me?

Tommy

 

I did that already and thought I removed all the air. the car runs cool down the road but if you let it idle for about 10 min it will shoot up to 210 real fast...it didn't do this with the stock t-stat...I turned it off and felt of the upper and lower radiator hose and they just had air in them no water...let it cool down for a while and then checked the coolent level and it was fine and water was back in the upper and lower lines...So that is why I think there is still air in the system...any ideas?

 

You could just let it run like everyone said. I just rented one of those pressurizers from auto zone, needed it anyways to find a leak. Took a while but I eventually pumped all the air out. I suppose just another mean to the same end.

 

[/quote] I did that already and thought I removed all the air. the car runs cool down the road but if you let it idle for about 10 min it will shoot up to 210 real fast...it didn't do thes with the stock t-stat...I turned it off and felt of the upper and lower radiator hose and they just had air in them no water...let it cool down for a while and then checked the coolent level and it was fine and water was back in the uper and lower lines...So that is why I think there is still air in the system...any ideas?

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Removing all the air from the cooling system is CRUCIAL for aluminum blocks.
Go to http://www.installuniversity.com/
and follow the Thermostat Swap procedure.
IT WILL cover everything to the letter. and the tip it gives on getting the air out worked GREAT for me.