Immediate Help Needed!

[knight7]

Things that i did>>
I installed a new thermostat with a rubber gasket around it. It didnt click or snap into the housing, it only sat in the housing. I fushed the entire system as well with water nd the i added coolant + water (but only 3/4 of a gallon>> thats all i had). In the end, i tightened the bolts.
Things that happened>>
I took it to for a test drive around my block and drove for about 3 or four minutes to check how the temp would show. The temp went into the redline and my fbird overheated.) I got home somehow and opened up the hood and looked for leaks, and found that it had no leaks. I opened up the pressure cap even though it was a little hot and the coolant came out exploding. Engine was very hot at the same time.
My conclusion>>
Insufficient amount of coolant or the thermostat wasnt installed correctly.
I would really appreciate if any of you guys have any solutions or observations to this problem. ThAnkyou.

[Mr. Luos]

You shouldn't have driven it.
You need to fill.
Run it to temp...refill. Do this a couple times.
RIGHT NOW...wait until she cools down and fill back up again. Let me know if it won't take any fluid.

[knight7]

I guess i will just wait till my other car gets home and then i will drive to autozone and buy 2 more gallons of coolant. I wonder why there was such a massive amount of pressure build up under the pressure cap. By the way, how many gallons does a normal radiator take to fill up?
I totally forgot about the coolant that i should wait till it sinks in and also that i should add more to it. But i didnt have any more left and i wanted to see if the thermostat housing will have any leaks around it.
Thanks Mr Lous , i will let you know by evening or around 5. Just a side question > How do you know if the thermostat is placed correctly into its housing? I just placed my thermostat with the rubber gasket around it into the housing and tightened the two bolts. I asked the guy at the autozone the same question and he told me that the thermostat will not do anything but will only sit and then i should lock the bolts.

[Mr. Luos]

Mine took just over 2 gallons of mixed coolant and water if I remember right.
And I was dry. Motor and everything was dry.

If the car always overheats...the thermostat might be in backwards. Although most won't allow that to happen.

[knight7]

naw, my thermostat was installed spring end towards the housing or the the interior and im sure thats how i did it.

[doodad]

man, you shouldnt drive it if it pass the half..
l think you are fine just the coolant is not all over the system yet this happens.. you just need the let the coolant go all over the system. le tme tell u how you do it:

if there is no leak and coolant level is fine that means you should idle the car for a while when the gauge passes halfway, then stop the car and rebleed the system (which means get the air out of the system) and wait for a couple hours to engine cool down a little bit and then check the coolant level again and if needs to be filled again and fill again and and start the car again and rebleed the system again after that coolant will be all over the system and you r gauge will be fine.. l highly reccomend you to get a radiator cap FROM DEALER. (if it is old). after that you will be fine.. l also suggest you to drive around your home and watch the gauges.. when it passes halfway pull over and turn the car off..

ask if you need any help..

Erdal

[doodad]

Originally Posted by knight7

. I wonder why there was such a massive amount of pressure build up under the pressure cap. By .

man that is air.. you have in the system that you need to rebleed.. when you drive the car for a while coolant goes to the bottom and airo goest to the top.. just refill completely and than start the car and after that rebleed the system and those air will go out and you will be fine.. (l just did that job today, it worked great)

[knight7]

hey doodad, i just wanna say thnx for your help. I followed all the steps that u listed and my vehicle is better than ever. I am getting better temp readings (205f). Thnx to all, who helped me.

[doodad]

l am glad it worked!