>radiator.  Any comments about this unorthodox method?  I'm planning on
>bleeding the usual way this weekend to see if there is air in the system to

Seems pretty doubtful it would work at all.  Make a little scale drawing of
radiator and heater core at front, being about 3 feet tall then draw 15 feet
of pipe from the botom of the rad back to the engine.  You end up with the
letter 'L' on its back. Now ask yourself 'if I raise the long leg of the
'____|' up how are the airbubbles in the top of the rad going to get out?'
You are not pumping air out when you bleed it, you are pumping water in!
Air rises/pushed out through bleed hole when done a la Bentley.  That's why
the mechanics way won't work.  No chance to epoxy the threaded insert/plug
back in?  And just exactly who stripped out the insert, maybe this is why
your mechanic bleeds it this way, hmmmm?  Get out the bright lights and the
sodium pentathol.   Tim Smith