[Zef]

I took the nose off the car and pretty much drained all of the coolant out of the car except what was in the heater core.

I filled up roughly 7 quarts of 50/50 G13/water and it appears that theres coolant everywhere except the upper water pipe (when I squeeze the upper radiator hose I just hear air in the reservoir)

I exposed the bleeder valve on the heater hose and left the reservoir cap off but the coolant level isn't going down.

I am afraid to drive it but when it idles it sits steady at 190. I just replaced the thermostat so I know that's not the issue.... but it does appear that my problem is because the thermostat isn't opening.

The water pump was replaced at 75k, my car's at 100k.

How can I get the air out of that upper pipe? I don't have a fancy coolant evacuation system tool thing.

Thanks!

 

[dbrick]

I took the nose off the car and pretty much drained all of the coolant out of the car except what was in the heater core.

I filled up roughly 7 quarts of 50/50 G13/water and it appears that theres coolant everywhere except the upper water pipe (when I squeeze the upper radiator hose I just hear air in the reservoir)

I exposed the bleeder valve on the heater hose and left the reservoir cap off but the coolant level isn't going down.

The reservoir must be unscrewed from its brackets and raised, so that it's higher than the bleed hole in the heater hose. You can do this without disconnecting its hoses. Note than on V6 motors there may be a second bleed hole in a water pipe on the outside of the driver's side cylinder head.

I am afraid to drive it but when it idles it sits steady at 190. I just replaced the thermostat so I know that's not the issue.... but it does appear that my problem is because the thermostat isn't opening.

No. If the thermostat wasn't opening, the car would overheat and would not "sit steady at 190." Thus, I think the thermostat is opening and the car is cooling correctly, but - because you haven't refilled the cooling system completely - the upper hose still contains air.

Allow the motor to cool, and go through the fill-and-vent procedure again with the reservoir raised.

 

[Zef]

Will do thanks!!

 

[Zef]

That worked perfectly, thank you! Coolant system is totally bled. I know I am confident because when I squeezed the upper rad hose, coolant spat out of the breather hole in the heater core hose (this was actually by accident, I forgot to close it).

Now I just have to dial in my electric fan temp switch.