I installed a 180 degree thermostat on my truck and the engine temp gauge is showing hotter than it did when I had the stock thermostat. The a/c compressor is cycling on and off repeatedly too. And last but not least, my E-fans aren't coming on now like they were with the stock thermostat.

I've heard some guys say that the radiator needs to be "bled" of air.

Is this what's causing the overheating?
If I need to bleed the radiator, what's the best way since there's no drain plug on the radiator?

I'm thinking maybe to loosen the thermostat housing and let the coolant run out that way.

 

theres a good chance you caught a nasty air pocket that isnt letting any fluid through to open the thermostat... take it to a radiator shop.. shouldnt be much to bleed the system.

 

Bummer, hoping there was a way i could do it myself.

 

If you have an air pocket, you should be able to burp it out yourself....some guys run the engine through a heat cycle and let it cool down then refill the reservoir, and do this a few times. I've had luck with grabbing the upper rad hose and sqeezing...you will actually hear the coolant burp and bubble in the overflow. Then I top off and repeat several times until the burping stops.

 

It should come out itself. Just give it a few min. to do its thing. Mine got to about 245 before it cleared out. Then after that it was fine.

 

There is a procedure for clearing air pockets outta the cooling system. I posted it in here one time, let me see if I can find it.

One other thing. Just because you have a 180 degree thermostat doesn't mean your ECT will run at 180.

 

Sure does sound like an air pocket to me, I had one so bad when I did a tstat change my temp gauge went into the red for a few seconds.

When I had a 160 tstat in mine it ran about 180 so I don't know how much cooler your engine will run with a 180 vs the stock thermostat.

 

Yea just because you put in a 180 doesnt mean that is what it will run at. 180 is just when it opens oposed to the 195 stocker you had.

 

Only reason I said take it somewhere was because I wasnt completly sure if it was an air pocket or not. But since it sounds like it is, its possible to get rid of it yourself...if XLR will find his post it'll help you out a lot.

Good luck.

 

Picture of the coolant system "burp" procedure.

http://hauln.net/LS1Tech/jpegs/instruction1%20copy.jpg