Pull the thermostat?

[hbar]

Ok, here's the deal. I just replaced my water pump on my '97 7.3. I drained the radiator. With that, and the pump removed, wouldn't that be the majority of the water/coolant?

After it was buttoned up, I can only get 5 gallons back in. With an ambient temp of 50-ish, I can't get the gauge needle to move much, as usual. I poked across town, ran 80 on the freeway, but the needle doesn't move much. The coolant is at the full level mark in the res.

Should I remove the therm and get the system full, then replace it, or what?

[mthayer]

Sounds like your thermostat is sticking open. Replace it.
I definitely replace the thermostat every time I do a water pump replacement, and at least once a year. They are pretty easy to change. You can do it with out pulling the pump, but would be alot easier if you would have done it when you did the water pump. Do your self a favor and buy a new hose to put on it. Its easier to cut the old one off then to try to pull it off. And this way you have a new hose on and dont have to worry about it busting for a while. The thermostat only cost about 6 bucks from napa. As far as the antifreeze water mix, 5 gallons about it. If you drain complete block, it takes about 7-8 gallons total. I use the NAPA Kool antifreeze treatment in mine. Helps out the antifreeze and keeps it from cavetating. I got sold on it when our maintainer motor's coolant kept cavetating put some of it in and it stopped.