P0128 rising cooling liquid

[FrankT99]

Hello,

My 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac had the engine light on and gave the code P0128 and now I changed the coolant thermostat. I didn't empty the whole coolant system (was done a short time ago). I removed only the upper radiator hose to empty the minimum of cooling liquid (in a bucket below the truck).

Next step is bleeding:
I opened the radiator cap and put in a funnel. I filled it up and started the motor. After around three minutes the level of the coolant was slowly rising till it overflow the radiator exit. Also when I pushed before the upper radiator hose the coolant level rise over the radiator exit.

My questions:
1) As I wrote I removed only the minimum of cooling liquid. Is it really in this case necessary to bleed the system or is it enough to fill up radiator and tank and put the radiator cap?

2) Is this correct that during bleeding the cooling liquid is over floating and should I only go on and wait till there are bubbles?

3) Outside there are (plus) 27 Degrees. That’s a problem for bleeding?

Thank you.

 

[FrankT99]

Thank you DILLARD000. I will do your recommendations and let you know what happen.

- The Thermostat temp rating is 192F ( NAPA Part #: THM 192842)
- Outside temp is plus 27F (sorry)
- CheckEngineLamp & TroubleCode P0128 was reset when I disconnected the battery

1) For the 'park vehicle on slight grade with RadiatorCap uphill, shut off & cool ~2hrs' should I drive only as short as possible to reach the slide grade?
2) When the level of the coolant would once again slowly rise till it overflow the radiator should I stop the engine because (I do) something wrong or should I go on and let it overflow?

Thank you very much.

 

[FrankT99]

Find a parking spot in your driveway or nearby parking lot,
a curb that you can park the left front wheel on top of, or use your jack, enough to raise that corner of the vehicle 3~4inches.
With engine cold & radiator cap off, top off the radiator level.
Idle engine with radiator cap off, when coolant rises to top as engine warms, re-install radiator cap tight; don't just let it overflow.
Use gloves & long sleeves so to not scald yourself.

Update:
I used a jack to raise the left front wheel (drivers view). With engine cold & radiator cap off, I top off the radiator level.
I idled engine with radiator cap off. The coolant level was rising in the first 60 seconds to overflow and I re-installed the radiator cap. With the cap installed I idled the engine for around 12 min. After 7 to 8 min the TempGauge started to rise.
About my TempGauge: The needle never reached before the middle or higher between C and H (what I remember). The highest point of the needle was only 1/4 (1/5?). After 7 to 8 min the needle was on the separate line of C or lower and it reached the first line of this part of a cicle (see attachment). So when the highest point is, as I wrote, about 1/4 so I would call it ~50% halfway. But the upper radiator hose was still cold. The whole day and also yesterday we had freezing temperatures here - only to add this.
Thank you.

 

[FrankT99]

DILLARD000,
I did everything what you wrote including the 15 min drive yesterday and it looks good until now. The temperature display nearly reached the middle between C and H and was constant (I was not so focused on the temp before but I think it was lower before this problem).
I use 50/50.
I will update later.
One more question please: In the cooling tank there is (what I think) no pressure, no changing level when hot or cold (operating correct). How does this cooling system work? All the hot cold expansion is more or less in the radiator?
Thank you very much

 

[FrankT99]

After another test drive it seem so that the cooling thermometer/P0128 problem is solved. No overheating and temp constant in the middle between C and H.
Thank you.
BUT now It looks like I have a leak next to the drain plug of the radiator (at least there are collecting the cooling liquid drops droping on the ground.).
I will start, please, a new thread for this new problem.
Thank you very much, especially DILLARD000. Hope to hear from you again.