Still running hot after new t-stat & burp!!?!?!?!!!

Thanks big time, in advance to Ron, for his help this afternoon. Preciate ya tons big guy!

So I changed my (what I thought was) faulty t-stat a couple Thursdays ago, but haven't driven the car since. Well today I did, and I have the SAME MUTHAFUCKIN issue!!!! My engine temp redlines!!! Any kind of stop & go traffic, and bam, my temperature rises!!!! It overheats!!!! So what I thought was a "sticky" thermostat, actually isn't.

So I get back home, let her cool down. And remove the set screw, or "plug" from the water pump. I remove the cap from the coolant resevoir to relieve pressure, then put it back on and tighten. I remove the hose from the resevoir neck, plug the holes on the resevoir with my fingers and blow into the hose. It supposedly burps, I hear it gurgle a little bit. I button everything back up, and go for a drive......

At cruising, life is good for a couple miles. When I slow down, stop, and put it in reverse to turn around. BAM. Temp starts rising like a mother fucker again!!!!!!!! ARGGGGHHH!!!! What the hell????!!

Did I not burp the system right? The water pump set screw is right by the waterneck, right? What else can I do???! What am I missing?? When I burped the system, no water or coolant spilled out the plug hole. I'M PISSED!!!! Someone help!!!! ​

 

I'll wait for someone else to answer this.



...but you blew air into it to burp it?

 

Yup. Had the water pump plug out, but overflow resevoir cap ON. Took the hose off that leads into the neck of the overflow resevoir and plugged that little hole and the bleed hole with my fingers, and blew into the hose. (please leave the sexual joke outta this, I'm pretty pissed right now, and I'm liable to kill someone ) I know you know your shit Dave, got any advice for me. Don't hold back......

 

Sounds like you may still have air in the loop, or your fans aren't working.

Let everything cool down before you burp it. Open the plug on the water pump, then SLOWLY add coolant/water through the cap opening until it starts to come out of the bleeder on the pump. Then put the bleeder back in, then put the cap back on. Start it and let it idle until the t-stat should open. Your temp should drop a little when the t-stat opens and then the motor should stay at 180 (or whatever temp your t-stat is) and you should hear the fans kicking on. Don't get too discouraged, it can take 2-3 burps to get all of the air out.

Dave was pointing out that you added air into a water system that you're trying to get air out of...

Lastly, did you really think Ron was the best person to call for this?

 

Goooootcha. Fans are working, they kick on, I verified that already. And yes, it's a 180* thermostat. And I believe Ron, got his advice from Cam, lol. I dunno......but I can hear the shitstorm coming on this one already :stars:

PS - Where can I buy coolant from, what kind do I need??

 

I use the Zerex G-05 in the gold bottle. Napa carries it I believe

 

Yep. Zerex G-05 and the ONLY place I can find it locally is Napa.

 

Cool. Thanks man. I'll listen to anybody that goes 11.1x on a stock block!!!!!

 

I added about 16oz of distilled water today, and nothing bled out. Should I add more water, or wait til I get the Zerex???

 

180 t-stat... which one exactly?

Like Adam said, it's possible to have air bubbles traped in various places. Mostly they're going to collect at the neck but... So you might try it a few times. Do what Adam said, then get it all the way warmed up and or drive it, let it cool all the way down and bleed it again. If you don't get any more air the next 2 times then you're probably done burping it. Make sure the hoses off the bottom of the bottle look fine and sealed (no, no, don't take them off).

The reason for asking about the t-stat is that our's are bypass? types. They also have a bleeder hole in the t-stat. Little hole with a tiny dumbell that rattles around in it. So air trapped behind the t-stat will gradually work past it through the little hole. This little hole should be oriented UP when you installed the t-stat. -- t-stat is round and you can rotate it so that the little hole is as far up as possible. This allows more or all the air to get past it than if it was oriented lower.

 

Well... you added 16oz with the bleeder plug out? that means there was at least 16oz of air that needed burped. Keep going.

now I'll have to go look for the recommended anti-freeze mix... used to be that you wanted at least 30-35% and no more than 50% anti-freeze/water mix. Haha, I wonder if those hydrometers still work with the new fangled coolants? You can get one of those for a few bucks when you pick up the anti-freeze.

 

Okay. I hear ya Dave.
And that's good to know. The Stant t-stat I just bought (same one Legmaker bought), DOESN'T HAVE a bleeder hole. I noticed that when I installed it. Should I get a new one then, and ditch this Stant I JUST BOUGHT????

 

The main thing that pisses me off about all this, is it came outta nowhere. It just started happening. I wasn't draining or filling anything before this bullshit started.......

 

Yea, why not? Everybody was using Jets or Motorads. When did people start using Stants? They might be just fine but I have no idea. The Jets will fit better. The Motorads are just a bit tight but still fit fine -- be careful with your gasket when installing. Oh yea, I think the Jets come with a gasket and the Motorads don't. I sort of remember someone finding just gaskets somewhere too.

 

Carquest carriers our t-stat gasket if you end up needing a new one.

 

Doh! forgot. If you get a Motorad 4128 it will be a 185* t-stat. The Jet (don't know the number) will be a 180* t-stat.

The Motorad you can get at AutoZone. It's rebranded as ...umm, errr, I forgot but if you ask them for a t-stat with the number 4128 you'll get the right one. It will have Motorad stamped on the t-stat itself. (note: do NOT ask them for, or tell them it's going on a Dodge Charger... you probably won't get one from them then -- they'll insist they don't have one that fits and they won't look it up by "4128" and you'll have to go to a different AutoZone or wait for a shift change.)

 

K. Going to bleed it right now and add some water. Just to be 100% sure, though.....the drain plug or "bleeder hole" for the water pump is a set screw that comes off with an allen wrench correct?? Just to the opposite side of the waterneck?? I wanna make sure I'm taking the right thing off......

 

That's it. If I remember correctly, it takes a 1/4" allen.

 

K. Kickass. Adam you've been SEVERELY helpful. And Dave, thanks a million. You boys have been very good to me, on such a petty issue. I know it's probably no big deal to you guys, but it means a shitload to me. So truly thank you. :friends::beerchug:

 

The reason you bleed it and then run it until the t-stat is fully open is that, without that bleeder hole in the t-stat it has to open to let the air behind it past (or at least most of it). That's why you may need to do it a couple of times.