Odd coolant problem

[underdog1924]

I made a long drive down to have an informational interview and as I was pulling into the parking lot I noticed a large plume of white smoke coming out from the left wheel well. Turns out my upper radiator hose slipped off at the block. I put the hose back on, tightened it, and then replaced the fluid. I put a container in (liter?, quart?, 2 quarts?) and a little more. On my long drive back home I noticed that the temp guage would flucuate oddly. As I sat in traffic it would move up to the M, but when I was moving it would go below the L. Sometimes it would move by itself while driving at constant speed. It would go up and down like this the whole ride home. I'm afraid to drive it because I don't want to lose a hose again and be stranded with an overheating engine. Also I replaced the radiator in October. Any ideas on what the problem could be? Thanks

 

[SHOZ123]

You now have air in the cooling system. If all is well with the connections and hoses this will fix itself. But if there is the slightest leak anywhere there will not be any vacuum created at cool down to draw in the coolant from the overflow to replace the air that was driven out upon heating up.

 

[underdog1924]

Any ideas on what would cause the hose to come off? This isn't the first time it's happened.

 

[SHOZ123]

Are you using the OEM spring clamps? They are only reliable until the are removed. Get some worm gear hose clamps and they won't come off again.