haulinloads

I have an 02 silverado with a 4.8 and was planning a recent trip to florida (for daytona). I did all the bascic tune up things...ie..plugs, wires, filters. While doing the wires i broke the coolant temperature sensor on the side of the block on accident. So, i thought no biggie order a new one. Well i put it on, and topped off the coolant. It ran fine the day, but here is where the troubles start. The second day of driving, the coolant gauge will go all the way up, then drop to the lowest point and the truck will cut off. The first couple times the truck started right back up, but now it takes a couple times to start up. the car will also hesitate like no other, and act like it wants to stall out, while trying to accelerate. I know i have a bad coil, beacuse i snapped the end on accident(the same day...doh) and rtv'd temporarily. i feel a slight, very slight miss. but i think all the problems are from the CTS. How do i go about bleeding the system? I was told that could be it.
Please help a fellow chevy man