97 3.1 Lumina Overheating..?

[Shotime9thSt]

hey everybody,

first and foremost, thank you for opening my post, i know its kind of long but i beg you to stick with me...

i've been having trouble with my Lumina and its honestly going to cause me to drive it over a cliff despite how much i love her..The main issue I am having is my coolant isn't circulating like it should...

The car starts to over heat and when I go to open the hood, I see the coolant in the resivour fluctuate up and down, but it wont reach the thin black pipe (for lack of actual part name lol) attached to the radiator cap/line...(the car also says low coolant even though its full) also, when the car actually overheats the coolant in the resivour bubbles and is full to the "hot" line..sometimes it even overflows the resivour..

A trusted mechanic told me that my top raditator hose is hot and the bottom is cold..he said it's either my water pump or thermostat but he didn't have the time to check so I took it somewhere else and they said it might be a head gasket....?

I replaced my water pump 2 years ago and my thermostat less than a year ago..I've also had my radiatior flushed in hopes to fix the problem but nothing....I am at hope's end here...anyone might be able to diagnose it..? I am honestly going crazy over here..

any help is greatly appreciated..

bless

[jeffcoslacker]

Open the bleeder screws and get any air out, refilling the radiator as you purge, then see what it does.

If it doesn't seem to ever purge all the air, just keeps coming at a steady rate while running, it may have a head gasket issue. Any odd gunk in the resevoir or around the radiator cap?

[Scrapper]

sounds like head gasket but i'd try to change the thermo again but it should be good if cerulating?
because half your radiater might be plugging up.
and your low coolant light theres a sensor in the side of the radiater usually have to take battery out and drain the coolant until you get it low enough to put the sensor in..and it's not a hard job..but that wont make it over heat mines on now and it's full..but that boiling over sounds like head gasket..also heater core could be plugging up.

[Shotime9thSt]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

Open the bleeder screws and get any air out, refilling the radiator as you purge, then see what it does.

If it doesn't seem to ever purge all the air, just keeps coming at a steady rate while running, it may have a head gasket issue. Any odd gunk in the resevoir or around the radiator cap?

hey jeff,

thanks for your response..im a complete idiot when it comes to part terms so "bleeder screws" i have no idea what they are.. I havent removed the radiator cap but the last i remember it wasnt dirty..

honestly i think ive diagnosed it though im not sure.lets say im driving and it starts to get hot.."low coolant" shows b/c all the coolant was flushed back into the resivour..and from time to time, as it begins to overhear you'll hear a sound similar to "someone drinking out of a straw when the drinks empty" lol a slurping sound and then the coolant reaches the engine and cools off...i bought a new radiator cap and coolant today and tomorrow i am going to change the cap and pour coolant directly into the radiator line. pray for me..and if you get a chance to respond tomorrow..thanks again my man