being that there is nothing normal about the crd, any secrets to replacing the hose and not getting an air bubble into the system. I know there is a valve on the radiator.

Gates 22022. Ideally pop the "radiator" cap (top of coolant tank on firewall); open the valve on passenger side of radiator; drain coolant (capture in bucket if possible) until tank on firewall is empty and drain a bit more; remove old hose and use it as a template to cut new hose (be very careful to only cut the new hose on the radiator end; cutting the other end will cause the hose to be cut by the viscous heater pulley - don't ask how I know). Refill with 50/50 mix HOAT coolant and demineralized water at the coolant tank, ideally remove the passenger side valve (turn to 4 o'clock and pull up), until coolant comes out of that valve, burp upper radiator hose a couple of times and add more coolant as needed; close valve and top off coolant to about 1" above coolant tank midline. Do like 3 drive cycles (cold to operating temp) and check coolant level; should drop to about midline as air is bleed out of the system thru the degas hose on the thermostat housing.

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thanks for the reply, didn't know if it was to easy of a question or to hard. I cut the hose from the correct end as I could see disaster written all over it. I started pouring antifreeze into the hose so it would have a minimal amount of air in it. all of a sudden antifreeze started pouring out the thermostat housing. me thinks the thermostat is stuck open.
didn't know you could remove the black plug on passenger side top, thought it was a 1/4 turn to open, maybe to bleed air from the system. get to do this all over again when the new thermostat arrives.
thanks again