Well I was still having slight problems with temperature fluxuation, so I bought a new thermostat and new coolant.

I installed the new thermy and the new coolant and drove it around for about 10-20 miles and saw the car slightly overheat once again.

The next morning I realized I didn't bleed the system well enough and it took down quite a bit more of coolant than I thought it needed. I bled the absolute living ---- out of it, got it warm to the point of op. temp. and made sure no bubbles were left. Ever since I haven't experienced any overheating or anything like that.

So my question - can the air pockets in a coolant system cause fluxuation like that? I know they can make a car overheat but the ups and downs... I haven't done a compression test yet but there isn't any coolant in my oil.

 

yes they sure as hell can.the bubble floating in and out causes the fluxation.

 

good job getting the problem fixed, air pockets can be a nightmare for some people. End results can cause people replacing head gaskets for no apparent reasons!

 

i did my thermostat yesterday evening as well, definitely bled the crap out of it. One thing that is a bonus for me, is I put one of those flusher T's in the heater hose that runs to the head, and it has that bleeder stock where the upper radiator hose attaches to the front of the motor, mucho bleeding action.

to expand on this. my car has been heating up fine ever since, but would it be helpful at all to replace my rad. cap? Back in May I cracked my radiator from the cap not opening to relieve pressure, and was unemployed at the time so I just gutted in insides of the cap, so its just basically a cover with an o-ring. So I know that probably effects the system being able to pressurize. PS - I know that was ghetto of me to do, but it worked.