shouldnt coolant come out when the engine is at operating temps and you pull off the radiator cap? i did this the other day right after i had been driving around for a while. the temp guage read to be a little over the quarter mark. i shut the car off and popped the hood. i pulled the cap off real quick expecting to get coolant everywhere and nothing happend. is this normal? i was trying to check the coolant level becuase that day it had come up too almost to the 220 mark but not quite and it has never done this before.

 

i pulled my cap one day when it was at 220, big mistake, coolant in my face...

 

Sounds like your temp is OK but maybe your gauge reads high.

However, coolant with the correct amount of antifreeze boils at well over 212°; so if your cooling system doesn't hold pressure, then it's pretty normal for it .... not to have pressure.

 

There should be pressure below the boiling point though.