UPDATE:

The truck is no longer overheating. The problem was a leaking hose for the heater core, my brother and I looped it and no overheating since. That was over 3 months ago, I also purchased an ultragauage and mounted an external thermostat and removed the stupid LR thermostat. No overheating problems but now its a misfire problem on cylinder 1!!


So I purchased this car with my dad in January replaced the rear diff and its been a project ever since. So I have changed all the gaskets including the head gasket, New water pump thermostat and it ran fine. The car was never driven any long distance since it was always getting repaired.

So the problem im having is the truck will overheat after 10-20 min of driving and gush coolant out the reservoir. I checked and felt that the lower hose under the thermostat is significantly colder than the hose above the thermostat and the heater doesn't get hot as well when I turn it on. It seems like there is no circulation but when i remove the bleeder screw it spits coolant a foot into the air.

The Thermostat is New
The Water Pump is New
The Head gasket was changed 50 miles ago

Im Stumped!
Please Help Me!

Thanks
-Sirac

 

Is your thermostat installed correctly?

 

Yes it is installed correctly. I used the Rave manual for the routing diagram

 

Heater does not get hot - because there is no liquid inside, just steam pocket from monster air bubble. Bleeding should be done, engine cold, reservoir loose and raised to limit of hose. Pour in coolant, and open bleeder, until bubbles stop. Messy.

Belt route correct? Water pump does not like to run backwards.

Paper towel holds against grille, not blown away? Fan baldes need to have cupped side toward engine.

Radiator can be clogged on lower rows. Will show hot on top, and 10F cooler or more on lower rows. Can't clear with flush usually, new rad time. If prior owner had overhaet problems, could be full of stopz leakz in radiator.

The $60ish chemical test can detect bubbles in coolant from exhaust, proof that HG work is good / bad.

Was stat the last thing you did? Floating crud can block metering holes in the disk inside top stat opening.

 

Thank you for the quick responses.
I have blead the system by raising the reservoir and opening the blender screw and that's when I turned the heater on to check if it was getting warm.
The belt is routed correctly
Removed the thermostat and put everything back together and heater still not hot when warmed up. I will check that chemical test out tomorrow.

 

Heater core should have hot coolant flow whenever truck is running, there is no valve, just constant flow. Check hoses to heater. Core may be 100% blocked. May try reverse flush.

 

So here is an update. I disconnected the thermostat cleaned it out with boiling water and reinstalled it. I also disconnected the heater hoses and flushed the heater core and filled it with water before I reconnected the hoses. I raised the reservoir to the limit of the hose and refilled the remainder of the system.

Results: I now have heat from my heater and the thermostat is opening properly.
I let it idle for 30 min and no overheating and went on a 20 min traffic filled drive and it seems good.!!

THANKS for the help Savanah and Jruproductions
Now to tackle the Amigos and brake light.

 

No water bubble gurgle sounds under dash a start off from stop light? Which would show some air still inside. Also, without a scanner you don't know what temp is. If you don't have something, like the $69 Ultra Gauge, then perhaps a stop a parts store and have them read codes. Most do that for free. While they are at it, see if their super scanner will show coolant temp. Factory gauge points at 50% from about 130 - 240F.

 

I just ordered the ultra gauge an that will be in next week. I think I do hear some gurgling for a sec when I'm at a stop. I bled the system again I might try it while the front end is elevated an see if it takes it all out. Or maybe send the truck to a radiator shop to get it vacuum bled. I don't understand why these cars are so hard to bleed.

 

So I decided to go on a 30 mile freeway drive and that was a bad idea. The truck overheated and is gurgling out the reservoir. I was driving with the heater on the whole time and it still over heated. I felt the lower hose for the thermostat and it is significantly cooler than the top. The top hose burns as soon as you touch it and the lower hose is fine to hold on to. So I'm guessing the thermostat is a defective unit. Time to buy a 180 soft spring thermostat.