Very Odd Temperature and Fan issue

[Naylor2006]

easiest way is take the expansion cap off the header tank and undo the jubilee clip off the bottom rad hose and drain it out.

 

when you refill mix the antifreeze (coolant) with the amount of water specified

 

Cheers mate, for the record this is what I thought, 2 guys at work told me I would need 3 substances, water, coolant and antifreeze, (and they laughed at me when I said otherwise) hense my post making me look stupid.

[etrebus]

easiest way is take the expansion cap off the header tank and undo the jubilee clip off the bottom rad hose and drain it out.

 

when you refill mix the antifreeze (coolant) with the amount of water specified

 

Cheers mate, for the record this is what I thought, 2 guys at work told me I would need 3 substances, water, coolant and antifreeze, (and they laughed at me when I said otherwise) hense my post making me look stupid.

antifreeze is now called coolant as it stays in engine all year round not only as a antifreeze but as a corosion inhibiter ford recomend a 50/50 mix but 70/30 is ok for about -20 thats 70%water

[sortedgti2.0]

there is a screw at the bottom of the rad, you can take it off with a 2p piece let the water drain out then just top it up. bleeding the thing can be difficult, i have been told so many ways. one way i was told was, loosen the cap off start up the car turn the blower off but to hot, hold the revs at 2500rpm and wate till the fan comes on then tighten up the cap. job done. the other way i was told was. put the cap on, start up the car turn the heater up, then squeese the hoses as tho you are giving the car a massage. keep checking the heat from the 2 pipes comming from the matrix once they are roughly the same temp that should be you also check your heater make sure it stays hot.

[Naylor2006]

I appreciate everyones help here, instead of emptying the system first I decided to replace the thermostat because if something else was wrong the chances are I would have had to do it all over again.

 

Anyway so I removed the front big hose and took apart the thermostat housing, hot coolant went all over me, very hot considering I let it cool for 30 mins! Took the stat out which looked brand new, I know I had my head gasket changed last year and I guess they must have changed the stat. Anyway my heart sank when I took it out because there appeared to be nothing wrong with it, wasn't stuck or jammed and it moved as freely as the brand new one, I assumed this then wasn't the problem Ive been having but fitted the new one anyway. The coolant that leaked out was in such good nick I decided against then emptying and flushing and just topped out with the pink new stuff.

 

Well what can I say, problem fixed, engine now warms up and stays in the middle no matter the style of driving, was pleasantly surprised yet still can't work out what is wrong with the old one. Still haven't manage to get the on because its so cold this weekend I think even passively it cools enough, no sign off over heating after I booted it around a bit then parked in my dads garage idleing.

 

Anyways, much love, yet again help on here saved me alot of money!