Reverse flow cooling systems, like with the LT1, are the ones that needs to be bled. Our conventional systems are easier to deal with.
How to know if you have air "trapped" in the system: The coolant level in the radiator will be down.
How to "bleed" the air out: Remove radiator cap and top off the coolant. Also make sure the the reservoir is topped off.
There you have it, no tricks required. The cooling system will work and flow coolant through the engine, regardless of what the heating system is doing off to the side. That is, unless you blow a heater hose.

 

I always just use the thermostats with the little bleed valves or drill hole in t-stat to bleed off air. When it's cold you shouldn't have much flow cause the t-stat is closed.

 

well i repainted the markers on my balancer since brake clean took them off the last time i did the intake gasket. i had base timing set at 10*, i backed it down to about 7-8*. also added royal purple purple ice to the coolant, but didnt get a chance to run it. i also watched the timing, revving to about 3k, its advancing to about 20-24*. i guess it helps a lot when i can fully read the numbers

 

Most sbc's like to be at 34-36 degrees at higher rpm's. Will yours go beyond 24 if you rev it higher?

 

I know on my ignition (msd billet, 6AL box) full advance was to be checked @ 3K. It does seem to be higher at 4K but not by much more than a degree or two. I've always been taught to check for full advance at 3K....I've been known to be wrong a time or two though.

 

ill check it again. could be why the motor dies out after 4k rpm, not just the nature of the tpi intake.

i did take it for a test drive, no change in condition. i did notice however while i was warming it up, the passenger side of the rad gets warm, then almost too hot to touch before the t-stat opens up. once the t-stat is open, both side tanks are equally hot. the hoses are hard, and both hoses seem to be just about has hot as each other.

and this is the water pump i purchased http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PRO-67264/

 

Not this time though , that's about right. 20-24 @ 3k rpm is low, which will hurt engine performance. And not being advanced where the engine wants to be can also be his source of higher engine heat. Curious to see if his timing jumps any higher than that.
Oh, what distributor are you using too?

 

stock hei with in-cap coil, pertronix high voltage coil. i was looking at getting a new module, but the one i wanted is now discontinued, and i dont remember if its a 4 pin or 7 pin.

i was reviewing my order, this is the rad i have. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/GRI-6-282AE-BAX/ i noticed compared to oem rads that i see every day, there arent as many fins per inch on the griffin rad. the thickness is 2.25" with dual 1" cores. im thinking it may just be the rad itself can keep it cool, any may need to step up to this rad http://www.summitracing.com/parts/GRI-6-882AE-BAX/ or something equivelant

 

well i have this issue figured out now. i added an oil cooler, it helped a lot for the low speed driving, i can use 1 fan and keep it under 190. i also compared my gauge, which the sender is in the head, to the ect sensor in the intake, and that reads about 15 degrees cooler. i was also reading in motor trend that the new shelby cobra doesnt have any grille because it would obstruct air flow. i decided to pull mine off, and on an 80+ degree day cruising down the highway at 80, the temp never went above 190 in the cylinder head. i went and bought an open style grille and that improved it even more