Bad/Weak water pump?????

Dicer said
Well yes, it could be the thermostat and yes pump impeller freewheeling (rarely). How was the coolant when you drain the radiator and changed the hose, any settlement, maybe rust, dirt? Can you look closely into the top of the radiator and see if you may have crust around your radiator flow tubes? Has anyone mention fan clutch? Drive your car down the highway get it where you feel its getting hot, pull off the road, shut the car down, jump out, open your hood, try to spin the fan, if it freewheels you have a bad fan clutch, a simple test. Normally the fan clutch being hot would have a great resistance to spin. Hope this helps. I have to ask looking at one of your pictures, I notice the by-pass in a large U shape, looking at my car it is mainly L shaped...something maybe kinked?

The radiator fluid was a little dirty but not bad considering that it had been in there for about two and a half years. I put new water and anti-freeze in there just in case. But to answer your question a little better, the fluid wasn't full of crap and particles...just a little dirty (not crystal clear). I did check the radiator tubes after I emptied the radiator and they looked pretty good. As far as the clutch is concerned, yes it could be failing at high speed but that still wouldn't explain the no/low flow sitting still with the thermostat open?? But I will do that high speed check next time I'm out. That U shaped hose was on there when I bought the car, it does not look correct but it's been working well with the bent hose. We don't hardly use heaters where I live.

Thanks,
treblig