I just put on a new water pump. I drained the radiator and am filling it back up now. I haven't even gotten in 2 gallons of coolant and it's like the thing is already full. I started the car and the low coolant light comes on, and when I take the cap off the radiator the coolant level has dropped. So when I turn the engine off and put more coolant in, it tops off again and won't go down into the radiator.

What the hell am I doing wrong?

 

Perhaps you should trickle the coolant in while the engine is idling. That will allow it to circulate and fill the voids.

 

I did that and got another half gallon in it... so now total I've got in 1 1/2 gallons coolant and 1/2 gallon water.

My low coolant light is still on also.

 

Let it run w/ the cap off till the thermo opens. Not kidding. Once it opens fully, it should drop the level. Give it some throttle w/ one hand while adding fluid w/ the other. Once the level gets high enough to not drop anymore w/ throttle, cap it and let it run.. (Cap it w/ the idle up)

If not that then let it run w/ the cap on. If you know how to do so safely, take the cap off when it's hot and then add more. I had to keep doing that on my 'Maro in order to gat it to bleed properly..

 

Don't forget to bleed the air out. Simple proceeder.
Car off. Take the rubber hose off the coolant line for the throttle body on the driverside. Start filling radiator with coolant mixture. As you fill up the radiator, watch where you took the hose off from. When coolant starts to come out, stop filling. Put rubber hose back on. Top off radiator. Start car with cap off radiator. Watch and top off as need. I usually run car for a bit. You will notice the coolant in the radiator going up and down.

 

Raise the front of the car up with your floor jack and it will fill real easy.

 

kind of helps to turn your heat on full blast, to dissapte(spelling??) the heat away and get the air out of the system

 

You've got air trapped in the radiator. Disconnect the line that runs from your radiator to your throttle body at the throttle body. Set it on top of your intake. Put a rag under it because when you fill the radiator it will burb out here. Eventually when it starts to flow out here as your adding it you should be done.