So I am trying to expel the air from my system, i believe this is the cause of the near over heating symptoms. I read a few threads and tried 2 way, 1- run the truck without the radiator cap until the thermostat engages and then let it run for a little bit to expel the air bubbles, I tried this and it was messy the fluid would fluctuate up and down in the radiator which i assumed was air being expelled, but then when i shut off the truck with the cap off fluid gushed from the radiator every where, is this normal? or is this air leaving the system? I did method 2- open up the cap to the first notch and run the truck until operating temp, i did, fluid began to seep slowly from the cap not very much, once it reached temp i turned off the truck waited to cool and removed the cap and refilled. I have never done this but is this normal? am i doing it right? i have heat now, but im afraid to drive bc i dont want to blow anything if i did this wrong somehow. Please help.

 

Hmm I have not done either of those to burp air. I run the engine to temp with the cap off, and then alternatively (and quickly cuz they get hot) squeeze the top and bottom radiator hoses a few times. Replace cap, turn off engine, cool off, open cap, squeeze hoses a couple more times. Add fluid as needed.

 

Here's what my 1986 factory manual says.