Just an update, from a previously not well thought out post.
I just need to figure out one of two things: why is my car overheating, and depending, if I should fix it.
Replaced the radiator. The thermostat. Both head gaskets, but did not take the heads into a machine shop or diagnose them in any way, just hoped that would solve it. (Like resurface them or know how to check on our own)
The car overheats about ten minutes into driving, which is no surprise because the heater just blasts out cold air the whole ride, save the first ten seconds.
So at this point, we’re thinking to replace the water pump, but with these symptoms, I’m not really sure that’s the issue, and I’m kinda sick of tearing this thing apart.
First of all just changing parts and guessing will not usually solve a problem, I think you need to decide if this 15 year old vehicle is worth the serious amount of money it will take to make it a dependable vehicle again. The constant over heating is doing a lot of damage . Having a shop do a diagnostic for a fee might tell you just what all needs to be done.
Have the coolant system pressure tested and have a compression test done to see if the head gaskets are actually sealing.
The compression test is easy and you can rent tools, for free, at the auto parts store. Likely the same for the pressure test tools for the coolant system. If you get the car warm, look for bubbles in the coolant overflow bottle. If you see any, the head gaskets are probably bad meaning you should have had the heads resurfaced before re-installation.