Hi, drove home from work the other day, smelled antifreeze, then the engine shut off and I coasted home (yeah!). Bottom radiator hose clamp had rusted apart and fell off so the hose came off and I musta lost all the coolant. I've replaced the clamp, reconnected the hose, refilled the coolant and it is still overheating and I'm not getting heat. Replaced the thermostat thinking that might be it but it is still doing the same thing. Runs for 10-15 mins, starts overheating and yet I still have no heat inside the car. ?? Is an air bubble a possible problem? Perhaps there is a way to bleed the air out? Did I cook something else when it first died? Thanks for your thoughts on this!
~~Norman

Is the upper radiator hose getting hot when the Temp. Gauge says you are overheating? If not then grab that upper hose and squeeze it hard about ten times ..fast. That will Burp the air out of the system.

The upper radiator will get hot and your Gauge should settle down
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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.no.net/ebrox/Tony's%20cars.htm

Nobody asked this question, so I guess that I'll have to.

Are you sure that you installed the thermostat correctly?
The side with the spring should have gone into the head.
If you didn't, it won't open and the coolant can't flow.

As far as a air bubble.....Yes it can trap a air bubble in the engine block and the car will have the same symptoms as you describe.

You should be able to run the engine until it's warm (not hot) a few times with the resevoir cap off and the air will eventually (gradually) come out.
Sometimes it will have a big "burp", and most of the air will come out all at once.
Replace any coolant as required.
Never pour cold coolant into a hot engine unless the engine is running.
If you do, you can cause severe engine damage.

steve

i would be worried about having fried the pump if there was litterally zero coolant in the system. I think that the coolant lubricates the system.

I guess he could pull the upper rad hose and remove the thermostat to see if water is being pumped out when running.
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1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb and M46 trans in Brampton, Ont.

Did you install the thermostat with the air bleed valve at the top? How much water/coolant did you get in there? Dan