Picked up new thermostat and gasket from the dealer today and tomorrow I am going to change it out. The hockey game started before I had time to do it today. I figured that I should be able to get a thermostat at any auto parts store in Denver considering how many are running around here but that's not the case. At least not the ones near me so the dealer was my best bet. It's actually closer than any of the auto parts stores.

Now that I'm done rambling I'll get to my question. My driveway is a pretty good incline. Is that sufficient to properly bleed the cooling system or do I need to elevate the tank more? And also, other than allowing the engine to warm up with the cap off the tank, is there anything special I need to do to bleed the system?

Thanks for everyone's help.
Tom

 

You should be fine with the angle.

 

I got the new thermostat installed. The old one was stuck open as I suspected. As soon as I removed the thermostat housing the coolant started pouring through. All went well with the exception of losing one of the housing bolts in the engine valley. Jeff at JC's was nice enough to hook me up with a bolt he had in the shop. I went to the dealer to get a replacement bolt and they would have to order it so I went to Jeff, which should have been my first thought.

I got the system bled and was getting lots of heat from the heater until all the sudden the coolant tank started to overflow and I lost about 90% off the heat from the heater. The temperature gauge never moved above middle of the normal operating range. I'm not sure what to do now. Do I try and rebleed the system? Should I put the cap on the coolant tank as soon as I get heat from the heater and call it good?

 

AK,
You might want to call me.

 

If you PM your number I'll give you a call tomorrow. About to head to dinner with the family for my birthday. Thanks Mike

 

Did it sound like a waterfall inside the truck...

The thermostat finally opened up and set the water through the system, or one of the air bubbles was finally getting pushed through..
Sometimes they have to run for a long time... I leave the plug on the Radiator itself off while purging.. And yes.. sometimes it will gurgle up and overflow, just keep putting the coolant in..

Check the coolant level the day after you drive it as well.

 

What Pancho said.
Once the air bubble works its way through you will get a big surge of coolant.
Same thing when the t-stat opens, huge surge of coolant.

 

I am pretty sure that what Spike and Pancho are describing is what happened. Would that also explain why the temperature of the air from the heater changed? I'm really thinking that this is not a major problem but would like to make sure I'm not going to make it a major problem.

 

Picture it this way Tom, when you take your bath tonight take a empty glass in the tub with you,hold the glass upside down and put it under water, then slowly tilt the glass to one side, as it fills with water the air will move and then escape with a big blurp.
That is the same thing that happens to your cooling system, the air has to move through it before it can escape.
That is why you idle the engine with the heater on full hot and the radiator cap off. So the water pump can pump coolant through the entire cooling system to push any air out.
The air cannot escape if the cap is on because the cap holds it in.
As the air bubble moves the coolant level will drop and then explode out the radiator cap, level drops again and you top it off.
Keep doing this until no more burps.
Drive for a day, let it sit overnight, recheck the level, repeat.
After you are satisified that the coolant level is good then no more need to check it until the next time you have the hood open, so on your next weekly under the hood visual.
Hope this helps, but I think that you are good to go.

 

I think I am being a little paranoid. Too much time reading horror stories on this forum. Your explanation helps a lot. Thanks