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Ihave a 1999 olds cutlas with a3.1 code j motor. I have replaced the water pump thermostat and a complete upper end gasket kit due to a bad head gasket. Now when trying to bleed the cooling system i get nothing out of the bleeder screw? and now my temp gauge and fuel gauge doesn't work!!!!!!!!!! It's not like i don't know my why around a motor but this one has me stumped! PLEASE HELP this confused mechanic

Failure of the temperature

Submitted by ASE MASTER on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 17:37.

Failure of the temperature gauge and fuel gauge is a seperate/new/different issue. What have you (RULED IN OR RULED OUT) regarding the gauges?

Getting nothing out of the bleeder screw means that the cooling system has one or more (AIR POCKETS).

Let us know if you don't know what (AIR POCKETS) are or how to (RID) a cooling system of them.

I have checked all the fuses

Submitted by jwind on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 20:16.

I have checked all the fuses and grounds for the gauges and still nothing.
About the air pockets yes i know what they are and I have taken the hose off by the bleeder and used a funnel to fill the motor to try to avoid the air pockets and nothing. This one has me stumped

Jwind, If you haven't

Submitted by drivability on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 19:46.

Jwind,

If you haven't already, you might want to pull the bleeder screw all the way out and make sure that GM's "better mouse trap" :-( the Dexcool product has not congealed and clogged the bleeder. Also, if the thermostat does not have a bleeder hole in it you might want to get one that does or try a couple of pieces of asprin to help hold it open until the coolant dissolves the asprin. I CAN HEAR THE COMMENTS COMING ALREADY! It does work though. Old shade tree stuff. If it does have a hole make sure it is positioned at 12 o'clock so the air can be bled.

I have taken the bleeder

Submitted by jwind on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 20:20.

I have taken the bleeder screw out and ran the car and nothing. I'll try the asprin trick even though i have a new thermostat? I've taken the hose off at the "mouse trap and filled with coolant but still nothing! can't take the thermostat out due to the fact that the gasket is around the thermostat.

Jwind, You probably don't

Submitted by drivability on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 21:03.

Jwind,

You probably don't want to take the thermostat out anyway. Your gas mileage and heater function will go down the toilet. I have seen some knuckle heads gut the thermostat and use the outer ring to hold the seal in place but I recommend against that.

Does your new thermostat have a bleeder hole? If so, Is it positioned at 12 o'clock? If yes to both the asprin trick won't help that much.

Also, just so you know... the "better mouse trap" I was refering to was the Dexcool coolant that GM has used since 1996. I personally think the crap sucks. They reformulated it and it is better now than in 1996 but I'm still not buying into the 5 year 150k mi sales pitch (or whatever they are claiming now).

Last but not least. You said you took the bleeder screw out but did you check to make sure the passage is not clogged? Some also have two separate bleeders (one at the bleed pipe by the water pump and one at the thermostat housing). Can't remember off the top of my head if yours does. Something to check for.

No the thermostat doesn't

Submitted by jwind on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 23:56.

No the thermostat doesn't have a bleeder and no i did not check to see if the passage was clear I'll chack that. thanks for the info I'll try the things you suggested and cross my fingers.LOL I'm also going to try flushing the system out using the asprins to see if something is clogging the system from replscing the upper end gaskets or the radiator might have a blockage