I am close to starting up my EA82 that has been apart for head work and such. It occurred to me that just filling the radiator with coolant would leave the engine sucking air for a while until it circulates. Is there a ways to ensure there is coolant in the block immediately upon first startup? Add via thermostat housing perhaps?  Or am I making an issue out of nothing?

You could turn the water pump by hand and milk the lower coolant hose. But my belief is that most of the air would burp out before you reach any temps that could hurt anything.

oil is a much bigger concern than coolant.

spin the engine over with the starter while the injectors are unplugged.

this will circulate the oil and keep it from starting.

 

the t-stat will not open until the engine reaches full temp.

so even if there is coolant in the block it will not be circulating.

once at operating temp the t-stat will open and coolant will flow.

top it off as needed.