Overheated (red-lined)

Van overheated, overflow tank was full and spilling over. System appeared to have no pressure and when I removed the radiator cap, coolant was returning from the overflow tank back into the radiator. Intake was done a little over 2 years ago and water pump last fall. Didn't get any heat either.
Could it be a stuck thermostat, or what else?
I just hope that I didn't warp the heads when the engine overheated (I probably drove about 2 - 3 miles before I noticed).

Probably a bad head gasket. Sorry.

I would doubt you warped the heads in two miles. With the recoxvery bottle overflowing and no pressure in the system you could have a bad cap. You could also have a stuck thermostat. The electric cooling fan could also have failed. The original post was 8 days ago. Have you done anything with it since?

I would doubt you warped the heads in two miles. With the recoxvery bottle overflowing and no pressure in the system you could have a bad cap. You could also have a stuck thermostat. The electric cooling fan could also have failed. The original post was 8 days ago. Have you done anything with it since?

Fans were running when it overheated, but here's what I found: It was a stuck T-stat, but as soon as I changed it (pita) and started the van, I got a Cyl. #2 misfire code and the van started blowing white smoke out of the tailpipe (like a fog machine). The coolant still didn't leak into the oil. It might have been overheated a few more than just two miles, I had do drive about two miles once i realized it was pegged in order to pull over safely (small country road). I went ahead and ordered a junkyard replacement engine and transmission with 83K miles on them (current ones are 177K) and a shop will do the exchange for about $1000. I'll change the LIM gasket, plugs, wires, oil pan gasket, transmission filter and gasket while the replacement is out on the table. I'll probably exchange the waterpump as well since the one in the original engine is only about 6 months old and the T-stat of course.
Found a good deal on www.car-part.com , that is a junk yard connection site.

Fans were running when it overheated, but here's what I found: It was a stuck T-stat, but as soon as I changed it (pita) and started the van, I got a Cyl. #2 misfire code and the van started blowing white smoke out of the tailpipe (like a fog machine). The coolant still didn't leak into the oil. It might have been overheated a few more than just two miles, I had do drive about two miles once i realized it was pegged in order to pull over safely (small country road). I went ahead and ordered a junkyard replacement engine and transmission with 83K miles on them (current ones are 177K) and a shop will do the exchange for about $1000. I'll change the LIM gasket, plugs, wires, oil pan gasket, transmission filter and gasket while the replacement is out on the table. I'll probably exchange the waterpump as well since the one in the original engine is only about 6 months old and the T-stat of course.
Found a good deal on www.car-part.com (http://www.car-part.com) , that is a junk yard connection site.

Recommend changing all those little coolant carrying hoses around the newer engine as well. Especially the Y-shaped one in toward the firewall, the one near the t-stat, the 90 degree one near the t-stat and the few inch one near the front of the engine. These one by one leaked both before and after my LIM /head gasket job at 95k on my 97.

It doesn't matter now, but the stuck thermostat is a symptom of overheating from a bad head gasket, not the cause. When a thermostat is overheated they generally go full closed (unless you buy the more expensive failsafe thermostat). The head gasket was bad first, that caused low coolant and overheating, that caused the thermostat to stick. Since you will have the motor out and will do the LIM gasket, why not do the head gaskets as well and save yourself some future headaches?

Talked to the shop performing the swap, they recommended against the head gasket replacement but will do the LIM for sure.
I was not low on coolant prior to overheating (checked the day before when I re-filled the windshield washer fluid). The van didn't blow white smoke and the oil looked fine.....so I'm not really sure what caused the failure other than the T-stat?

Talked to the shop performing the swap, they recommended against the head gasket replacement but will do the LIM for sure.
I was not low on coolant prior to overheating (checked the day before when I re-filled the windshield washer fluid). The van didn't blow white smoke and the oil looked fine.....so I'm not really sure what caused the failure other than the T-stat?

Unless your replacement engine was from a 2003 Venture or newer, the head gaskets are due to go as well because of the design. Why not have the new gasket kit put in and have the heads machined. You do not know what that replacement engine experienced b4 you got it. Just cheap insurance.