Mitsubishi Repair: bleeding the thermastat, head gasket, thermastat

Question
i have a 96 mitsi vr4 that keeps running out of water. i've just recently replaced the rad. cap because the old 1 was broken. Someone told me air might be trapped in the thermastat and i would have to bleed it out. So how do u do that and is it a job that i should attempt myself(i have no mechanical experience)

Answer
Steve: You say your car is running out of water. Does it blow white smoke out of the exhaust? Someone is pulling your leg on the thermostat idea, as it opens and closes as to move the water around the engine of your car. As to say in the winter time you want more heat, you put in a higher rated thermostat so your car will put out more heat. That is the reason I asked about the white smoke, as I am thinking you have a weak head gasket and so the car is loosing water that way. Have you had a pressure test on the engine? How about have you seen any water drops in the oil? How old is the water pump in your car? Could be you are loosing water out there. Does your car heat? Temp wise? Have you seen water under the car where you park it at night? Or does the car just loose it as you are going down the road? If you keep loosing water and have got the car hot enough, you could have cooked that head gasket. But then you would be able to tell that by the white smoke coming out of the exhaust as you start the car or drive it. That is the water mixing with the oil and the engine is now burning the water/oil mix. Other wise I would check that water pump, on the side of the engine where the belts are, is the side with the water pump. Is there water on the ground under that part of the car, if so it would be a bad water pump. But that would have to be fixed by a shop. As that is a pretty big job. Please don't put this off, get the car to a shop and have it checked out. If it is the water pump get it replaced, other wise you will cook that head gasket and that is a really costly job. There is a small hole in the cap of the radiator, air will come out through there. Oh one more thing you might want to also check the hoses on your car, the ones that the water flows through. You might have replace all of them. As they do get weak with age. Hope this helps and God bless: Linda