Keeping my cool...

[Krem]

well, my body doesn't like water like it should... usually makes me queezy when I drink it straight... so I'll make some koolaid... oh yea...

Thanks for the inputs from both of you and I will try to look at the heater hoses within this week before it starts getting too cold during the day. You guys gave me some hope in that it's not a water pump or radiator... since not only do I lack a fan shroud, I don't see anything underneath like you mention... so it sounds like I'm not cooling the coolant at low or idle speeds nor am I getting sufficient coolant when driving at 65mph.. so I got a new shopping list to include these two parts.

I did notice, last night, after I picked up my gf a half a block from my house (had her take bus so as not to over heat the car, but she had bulky groceries I needed to help her with) and before I could get home and park her, she was flashing the low coolant light... checked the res. and sure enough it was empty.. called my mechanic today and he claims there may have been air bubbles in the system still and that they typically are caused by a BHG :\... but I'm happier thinking they just didn't fill up the resevoir.. guess I'll know for sure which is the truth after I fill it up myself. Also, the flush was one of the things I had done as the old coolant looked murky and brown... thinking someone tried using that metallic radiator stop leak liquid... which only suggests to me there's a bigger problem I haven't found... but I can always hope that's not the case...

As for timing, I really have no clue on how that's working... all I know is the car seems to bog and remain sluggish till ~3,000 rpm then it gets a nice kick..

Again, thank you for the comments and advice.. I'll apply it when possible.. I just don't have the money for the shrouds atm.. so for now I'm back to carpooling to and from work in my buddies car. No way do I wanna risk further damage to the engine from heat.