3.4, mild internals. No leaks. Coolant is rusty but full. I was driving home from getting gas ( 7 degrees outside) and I notice the temp gauge is around 210* which is a little warm for my very short trip, then it starts climbing to 235*, I shut it down. Checked air dam.. its still there, coolants full, no milkshake, no major leaks, systems got pressure in it, i ran it with out the cap and i can see the coolant moving, so I don't think its the water pump. The lower rad hose is a little bulged but not super inflated (I'm going to replace that). After I pull over and let it cool down I get two more blocks and its climbing to 240*. I pull over again top off the coolant and let it cool down. Start up and made it home, hit 235* while parking the car. It never runs above 210* The fan motor is about 8 months old, I didn't check it yet.. but it shouldn't matter if I'm moving because my air dam is there and its 7* degrees out.

I'm thinking it could be a stuck thermostat, the coolants rusty so could that screw up the thermostat? I'm gonna have my mom pick me up some antifreeze, new radiator hose and a thermostat tomorrow.

But, what do you guys think it could be?

Also please excuse any spelling mistakes, I still can't feel my hands haha.

 

Make sure there isn't the infamous air bubble sitting under the thermostat in the intake. Pull either the cold start switch or the CTS and check for coolant (should come up to the top of the hole). If not, get a funnel in the hole and put coolant in there. Just make sure the engine is cold or you'll end up getting a jet of hot coolant out of there as well as burning yourself.

And then change the coolant. It's not doing any good all full of crap.

 

MY dad (mechanic of 35+ years) says it could either be a broken thermostat or a head gasket. Im gonna replace the thermostat today. If its a head gasket, can anyone point me to new gaskets and arp bolts? I know it would be a good time for a hybrid but I don't have the place or time at the moment. I need my car now.

 

If it's not smoking out of the exhaust and the oil isn't a milkshake, you can rule out both the head gaskets and the intake gaskets. Also, you said you opened the radiator cap... If there weren't a lot of bubbles in the coolant, you don't need to worry about the head gaskets (bubbles mean lost compression). Do a compression test to be on the safe side (I doubt you or your dad have a leakdown tester handy).

Could be the thermostat, but if the coolant isn't going anywhere noticeable and you have to fill the system a couple times, there's an air bubble in the system. Could also be that the hose running to the coolant jug is clogged and the engine isn't pulling the coolant in that it needs through there.

 

Well, We drilled a small hole in the thermostat. Bled all the air out.
There's constant bubbles in the overflow bottle. And after two weeks I'm a gallon and a half low on coolant. We are very convinced the head gasket is leaking and pushing combustion gases in the coolant. I'm gonna be ordering the gaskets this week. I'm going to replace all the gaskets on the top end and the front cover. Also hopefully I'll be able to bring the front accessories brackets to school and media blast them and clear coat them.

I also need to finishing porting the intake, so far I only ported the middle and top pieces.

I'm still gonna be driving the car until I fix it. Oil is still clean I just have to check the fluids every other day. It's funny, every time fill the gas tank with my extra cash something goes wrong. Every time I'm nice to my car it breaks. I'm going to have to just beat on it everyday.