after i got my oil changed awhile ago when i drove it home the thermostat meter would go up and down. now it doesnt do it anymore, but once in awhile it wil. anyone know what the problem is?

 

might need a new thermostat.. or just check your antifreeze level....it may also be your water pump.. ya never know

 

You have air in your coolant. Large air pockets pass by the temp sensor and confuse it. Bleed the air and it should be fine.

 

how about check ur temp. sensor connector to c if its not disconnected or something. facing the motor look to ur left, above the upper timin' belt cover and ur gonna c the water inlet tube for the upper radiator hose and the bypass hose. the sensor that im talkin' about is the one behind the distributor. do not confuse it with the coolant tempature sensor which is bigger with a 2 wire connector. the temp. sensor has a 1 wire connector and its small. once u have that located make sure the connector is not loose cuz that will lead to false readin' in ur temp. gauge. if it is loose u could crimp the connector a bit more or cut off the end and put a new connector and ur done. should take u no more than 5 min. to do this.

 

where is the air release plug on the VG30E. i read about it somewhere on this forum awhile ago but i cant seem to find it.

 

I had that proglem come and go till the point it didn't work, unless I tapped the gauge. Resodered a week point in the gauge and problem solved.

But it's possible there's air in the water.

 

had the same problem with temp gauge going up and down every time i hit a bump. that piece cost like 10 to 15 bucks. turns out it was the connecter. dirty and old. i cleaned the coneecters and it helped. but its been back down time for a new connecter.

 

I would also like to know this too as I just swapped out a radiator and would like to get all of the air out. I know that it is a bolt located somewhere near the front end that has to be unscrewed and that one has to fill up the coolant slowly until it leaks out of this bolt (signifying no more air is in the system) but I can't find the bolt...

 

89 didn't have a bleeder screw
you just needed to jack the front end up 39" to bleed the system

 

Of course it couldn't be that simple . So, I jack the front up to toddler height and fill the radiator slowly with coolant until it overflows?

 

until it's full and has run for a while

 

the bleeder screw is on top of the intake manifold if im not mistaken. if u r facin' the engine look to ur right, then u'll c a small screw on top with a label sayin' something about do not open when hot or something. that little screw is the bleeder.

 

i really do hope that ur jokin'.

 

Nope you really do

 

from the factory 89 didn't get it.
by 91 it did.
90 I've heard has it but I'm not 100% sure all of them did

 

weird? my '89 has the bleeder screw from the old motor before i swapped it out and swapped in my motor from '93 into it. so all 3 motors that r from my 3rd gens have the bleeder screw.


Sgibb: ???

 

Ive never had to do it, but thats what i read if u dont have the bleader screw

 

it is in the back of the motor on the top of it kinda on the right on top of the upper air intake manifold near where a hose goes into the red rocker arm cover in the back of the motor.. you really cant miss it

 

Correct me if wrong...cant you just remove the radiator cap before you start the car and let it run until the car is warm and the air should come out? then put more coolant in as some will spill

 

nope you can't.
air bubbles can get caught in the heater core because it's the highest point in the system

 

check the wire/
make sure the therm isnt stuck...u getting heat?
ive had needles freeze up on the end before,but a few bumps bring them moving again

def bleed the air out...if u must, run it w/heat on,get therm to open,and rev 2k rpms fill and close quick.

 

my 89 has it.

 

my coolant is making a bubbling sound sometimes (not good) but engine temp gauge is not going up; have noticed it for a few months; coincides with coolant overflowing from the overflow hose in the coolant resevoir until there is no more (usually takes a few weeks to run out); heat goes out sometimes because of this.

bad thermostat, bad water pump, or do i have air in the hoses?

 

probably air

 

if you want to release air out of the plug should the engine be warmed up to operating temperature, do i have to put in new coolant? or can i just release the air out and then close it back up without having to change the coolant thanks a million

 

where is this drainage plug on the VE???? i am pretty sure i have air in there somewhere.. and dont wanna open the wrong plug.... will it start leaking antifreeze when the plug is open???

 

vans- I bled my VE the normal way and it worked fine.
though my car did go through 1/2 gal of coolant per year

 

whats the "normal" way.. LOL remember im fairly new to this motor

 

open radiator cap, run motor til at operating temp keep adding coolant until you can't add no more.