Engine overheating

1st off Did i say it was a pos? Did i call you stupid? I hope you werent quoting me with that comment in mind. You said you werent a mechanic we or at least i was trying to tell you what would be wise to do. Having no instruments functioning is not a wise decision but its not my car so it doesnt matter to me. The three basic gauges you should have regardless of vehicle value or condition is a oil press, water temp and volt gauge. We understand not everyone is expirienced in mechanical aspects but you cant just speculate a issue without having some type of data. Diagnosing a cooling issue isnt the same as trouble shooting a wheel bearing, oil leak or even fuel issue where you basically dont use any data measuring tools (in most cases). When trouble shooting a cooling issue a gauge is a must to verify what changes you make fix your problem.

When you recieve something that was put together unknown and not correctly especially with old or missing parts, its best to do it the right way to eliminate the variables and to ensure a proper functioning cooling system for your engine.

Dont get discouraged, it may seem like some of these guys are being rough but they do it more to make a point. Often a bit of sarcasm or tough love can be mistaken for a insult.