I did a search but didn't come up with anything.
I just put in a 180 Tstat, and filled the system back up. Took the rad cap off, and let it idle till the Tstat opened. Then I keep the radiator topped off, and opened the brass screw on the Tstat housing. Coolant ran out, and I tightened it back up.
Is there anymore to bleeding it?

I think you got it...

That'll do. Not really necessary, but no harm done. The system will work it'* own air out. I've never found air in that tstat housing.

sounds like you got it bled. i personally like to do what you described, then wait for the cooling fan/* to come on, then i crack the bleeder open again just to make sure i got all the air.

With the 180 t-stat in and 45ambient temp, I don't think I could get the fans to come on now. At idle, it now stays well below the 200 mark, and I can see on the gauge when the stat opens.
I was just wondering how critical it is on these engines. On my old BMW, it was critical to bleed the air out or you'd crack the head.
THanks!

i do that as a precaution, if the fan/* come on, i know that the car is up to full operating temp, and coolant is circulating properly. i also watch the temp gauge as the fan/* come on to make sure it drops accordingly. i don't think the 3.8'* are as touchy, but the 2.8, 3.1 and 3.4'* can be a nightmare from air pockets.

i believe the other fan is for when the A/C is going, putting a larger load on the cooling system, and it needs added air flow over the condenser to help with the 'cooling' of the refridgerant.

it doesn't come on with the a/c i have tried that on both cars, just to make sure.

i think the A/C high side pressure has to be high enough to turn the fan on [i think there is a high pressure switch that is wired to the ecm/pcm], as pressure and temp are directly related, when the pressure exceedes a certain point [ in effect, gets hot], the ecm/pcm cycles the fan on/off. it won't run long [depending on ambient temp, load on the A/C system], but will cycle on and off like the 'regular' fan, just in shorter intervals.

you hit it right on the head, slow temp increase is good, rapid temp rise is the result of an air pocket. i see rapid temp rise on the 2.8'* etc. more than on the 3.8.