engine cooling system problem

[freshtiva]

I bought a 1992 gl five speed while back. When I first bought it the cooling fan was unhooked. Id rig it up to run on the trip home. Drove 40 miles no problem except temp gauge never moved. Wire fan correctly so it runs when AC is on and when engine temp gets high enough. While engine was cool and rad cap off I noticed coolant running through the rad. Good, water pump was working. Bad because it had no thermostat in it. I bought new temp sender and fan switch and 192 degree thermostat and installed. Temp gauge started working but test drove and coolant was filling up reservoir and running out overflow tube until out of coolant. If I start car cold with thermostat in coolant gushes out the top of rad. Remove thermostat it stops. Pulled off upper and lower hose and heater hoses and ran water back and forth through each section including heater core. No blockage. Any suggestion. Also noticed heater didn't work with hot engine and thermostat in. Doesn't make sense to me. Also tested thermostat in hot water it opened fine.

[mechanicaldj]

blown head gasket or warped head.

[freshtiva]

Its got a new or different head on it, see no sign of oil in coolant or visa versa

[mechanicaldj]

it is not blown to an oil passage and it is too small for coolant to leak back into the cylinder

[mechanicaldj]

put a pressure checker with the adapter for the small radiator cap and check to see if the pressure exceeds 15 psi.

also check the radiator cap for the rating printed on it

[freshtiva]

screwed

Damm, Guess I got my own parts car. Know anything about those new festiva engines they sell on ebay for $1600. I dont know if the car is worth the investment. Thanks for the info mechanicaldj, Ill quit spending $ and time trying to fix it. I feel ill now !!

[freshtiva]

cap

I bought a new rad cap for it. Gasket on old one looked bad, All the new one has on it is M and in the center its labeled 0.9 or 6.0.

[freshtiva]

Is it leaking engine compression thats causing the gushing and overflowing? The reservoir bottle bubbles.

[mechanicaldj]

Is it leaking engine compression thats causing the gushing and overflowing? The reservoir bottle bubbles.

yes

[ericsmith32]

Ouch I didn't even check it out. I have a compression tool would that show anything? That's almost to nice of a car to part out.. b6 it. I wouldn't trust picknpull on any engines, http://www.midwayauto.com/ might have some decent ones.