DeTomaso Mailing List: September 2000, Message #14

At 12:07 -0400 1/9/00, Asa Jay Laughton wrote:
snip

>- Why did the radiator overflow cold fluid?  Was it air pockets in the
>block expanding under the pressure of warming up? and forcing fluid back
>through the water pump inlet?  Until the thermostat warmed enough to open
>and equalize the pressure? (no, I forgot to drill a small hole in the stat
>to help bleed air, DOH!)

Sounds like the scenario to me... And running lean might not be helping.
The gurgles and bubbles are a real sign you've got air pockets.

>- Why does my gauge read too high?  Is it really too high?  Doesn't jive
>with thermocouple reading taken by hand.  Would both brand new temp senders
>from Napa be wrong?  I sat with thier rep and made darn sure I had the
>correct one.  Could the factory be packaging the wrong ones?

Gauge sensor is in the block, right? It's probably reading steam.

>- Why was I able to squeeze the upper hose when warm, is that normal?
>Shouldn't it get harder to squeeze or at least shouldn't I feel fluid flow?

I doubt it on either case. I can squeeze all the hoses on any of the 
cars I own when running at temp. With gloves on, of course... and 
what should the flow feel like? Even if it's turbulent flow (as 
opposed to laminar which I doubt you'd see in an engine hose), I 
don't think you'd be able to feel it. Or at least, I don't know what 
I should be feeling then...

>-  Could it be my gauge has gone south?  The instrument voltage regulator
>might be a culprit, but all the other regulated gauges read okay, so I
>don't think that's it.  The gauges though haven't been used for three
>years, could it have developed corrosion?  Would throw the reading off?
>Corrosion = increased resistance, increased resistance = lower temperature,
>therefore corrosion = lower temp reading on gauge.  I guess that doesn't
>make sense then.

It sure sounds to me like it's just a case of getting the air out of 
the block. A hole in the thermostat should help. Did you try taking 
off the heater hoses when you thought it was full and see if, in 
fact, you have fluid at both outlets? Works for me. Right, John? 
;-)))

Let us know how it goes!

Kirby