Coolant Troubles!!! Please God Help!

[G15OST]

Right. Got a nice shiny new head fitted to my 2.4. Ive filled rad with water / coolant today and run it for about half an hour stationary. then put the rad cap back on and drove it up and down the street. Heaters went cold for a sec then hot again and then remained hot when idling and revving. No probs then, opr so I thought. Went for a spin and with about 4 minutes temp had shot up to red (not quite in red but teetering on it). so i quicly stopped engine, let it cool a little and removed cap. Lot of steam. Managed to det her home (3rd of a mile), switched her off, let her cool and then proceeded to re fill with coolant. Running fine without the cap on, heaters didnt get warm but only run on idle for 15 mins. Worried that when I put the cap on its gonna go hot again and dont wanna risk a bew head for the second time in a week. Shes still purring and smoke free!!!

ANY ADVICE????

[darkdezigns]

get a 3ltr lol,seriously tho did u flush the water system?was the head new?or recon?crack in head is a poss?but id flush system first

[yoshie]

"heaters didn't get warm"

Thermostat fe cked or matrix blocked air lock somewhere ect would be my first checks mate

[yoshie]

where did you get the head ?????
is it waranted

[KERRSURF]

heaters even on idle for 15mins should be toasty.

i'd be tempted to flush it.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Replace the rad cap, as it's not holding pressure/coolant in the system, instead it's blowing past into the expansion tank then the tank is overflowing out onto the road when your driving.

Park up tonight, then remove the rad cap, (make sure both the heaters are set to hot) top up with coolant if necessary (fill the expansion tank half way too) leave the cap off over night and check the coolant level in the morning and top up if needed. This will make sure any airlocks will have escaped.
Go for a test drive, keep an eye on the gauge.

[MattF]

You've probably just got some air trapped in the system. How much coolant did you refill it with, roughly, after doing the head?

[icsys]

Replace the rad cap, as it's not holding pressure/coolant in the system, instead it's blowing past into the expansion tank then the tank is overflowing out onto the road when your driving.

Iv'e experienced the same symptoms. On close inspection the rad cap rubber had gone brittle and started to crack.

I did have a leaking radiator as well at the time but the above makes sense now.

Try a new rad cap.

[Highlander1]

Replace the rad cap, as it's not holding pressure/coolant in the system, instead it's blowing past into the expansion tank then the tank is overflowing out onto the road when your driving.

Park up tonight, then remove the rad cap, (make sure both the heaters are set to hot) top up with coolant if necessary (fill the expansion tank half way too) leave the cap off over night and check the coolant level in the morning and top up if needed. This will make sure any airlocks will have escaped.
Go for a test drive, keep an eye on the gauge.

Quotes you happy I'm with Bushwacker let us know how you get on fingers crossed. I have found over the years that if the engine/truck isn't absolutley level when you top up after replacing rad etc that you can experience air locks. make sure your on a level surface when all goes back together.