How to fill/bleed cooling system?

Ok I feel like an idiot for asking this but how do you properly fill the radiator on a 96 Mercury sable? It has the 3.0 ohv motor. I replaced the radiator, upper and lower hoses as well as the expansion tank. When I went to fill it I figured I could just fill up the tank and it would drain into the radiator. That didn't work it took less than 1 gallon and it would not drain into the radiator the tank just filled up. I pulled the upper hose off the block and it still wouldn't fill the radiator. What I ended up doing is pouring it down the upper radiator hose. When I did this the expansion tank overflowed so I put the cap on it and continued filling till it wouldn't take more and fluid was leaking out of the block where the upper hose attaches. The tank is over full right now, I was thinking air would work itself out but it doesn't appear to have done that as the fluid level hasn't dropped.

What I would like to know is the proper procedure for filling the radiator. I have ran the car and the upper hose gets hot.


I would also like to know why the new tank wouldn't fill the radiator. When the old radiator was leaking I could just fill the tank and the radiator would fill up and start leaking, this is how I found the leak in the first place.

Not that familiar with a '96 Sable. The radiator has no fill cap? After replacing the radiator, hoses and puke tank I generally fill the radiator thru the cap. Get it topped off and start the engine. Let it get up to temp so the thermostat opens to pull coolant into the engine. Put the radiator cap on and fill the puke tank to "full" and then drive the car. Check the "full when hot" level after a few miles and top off if necassary. It should be good to go after that.
Mark