Radiator/Cooling Question

[Guest 66olds]

Today I installed a brand new 3 row raiator that I bought from radiator.com. Hooked up the transmission cooling lines, upper and lower hoses and filled it with water. I then started the car and let it run to warm up and so I can top it off before putting on the cover. As the car was running it kept spitting the water out the filler neck and I noticed there wasnt water flowing out the tubes inside. It also seemed like the thermostat wasnt opening and taking the water in but its a brand new thermosat 190 degree. It came from auto zone and its a duralast do thermostas go just like that? I removed the thermostat and ran it like and it seemed fine water was flowing and no more spitting out. Could I have just answered my own question? If I did any thoughts out there on a good quality thermostat? Thanks in advance for your help.

[RocketDude]

Sounds like it could be a bad thermostat, if you let it run long enough to open.

Since you have it out, put it in a pan of water on the stove and turn on the fire. If you have a temp gauge to check water temp, so much the better. Then you can see what temp it starts to open, and what temp when it is fully open If not, just watch it and see if it opens.

Make sure your wife isn't home when you do it...!

[Ron of Chicago]

Not to be a wise guy but, you didn't put it in upside down, did you?

A silly question I know, but sometimes we all have a lapse of memory and do silly things.

Ron

[Guest 66olds]

Hi all thanks for the response. When I bought the thermostat it didnt say on it which is way up they usually do so I put it spring part down into the manifild with the pointy part towards the radiator. thats the way I remembered them going. But it didnt do this with the 2 core I had all I did was add a bigger radiator by one core. It was weird never seen it do that before. The heater hoses were super hot too but the upper and lower hoses were barely warm. Guess their cheap enough ill just put a new one in and see how it goes. Thanks.

[Sgt Art]

The pointy side is up. If you just want to test the flow of the coolant, use plain water and don't put the t'stat in. Buy and extra gasket for a couple bucks and let the engine run without the stat. Now sit back and watch your coolant flow. You actually need the stat to slow down the flow of water so that it can dissapate it's heat into the radiator but for this simple testing it's not an issue. Once you're satisfied the pump is doing it's job, let everything cool down some and drain as much as you can. Add your antifreeze, t'stat in with pointy side up (the lower part is were the wax is that expands and forces it open) put all together and let the coolant flow allowing trapped air to escape. Make sure you have a nice new radiator cap that is both correct and seals properly with your radiator. It's amazing how many people do all that you have done and put some ratty old cap back on. I think your stat is probably okay, sounds like you put in backwards.