No coolants circulation replace thermostat water pump and radiator builds up pressure quickley

It would have been useful to know where the hose from the tee goes and what diameter as that is new to me. 50 years as a repairer and I have never seen a top radiator hose with a tee branch.

Usually the engine heats and the thermostat opens and starts coolant circulating through the radiator, up the bottom hose into the water pump to be pushed round again.
The volume of coolant moved by the water pump, even at idle should be far in excess of that circulating through the heater matrix ensuring adequate circulation through the radiator as soon as the thermostat opens.

The top hose must be hot because the thermostat is open so why doesn't the coolant go further and heat either the branch or the rest of the hose and radiator...
Sometimes a pump with a plastic impeller will lose a vane and overheating due to insufficient circulation is likely.

Other things are more common - semi-blocked radiator tubes restricting coolant flow.
Silt build up in the cylinder block causing hot spots in the cylinder walls.
Restricted air flow through the radiator.
Electric coolant fan not working.
Excess combustion gas in the cooling system interfering with thermostat operation.
Degassing system blocked with the same result.

How To Solve An Engine Overheat Condition - EricTheCarGuy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUzOTnsWImI

Engine overheating. How to fix a overheating car engine on your car
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evpaTW2WJ5Y

You m?y have a blown head gasket letting exaust into the cooling system. The pump cannot push exaust. Try a liquid head gasket sealer before replacing gasket. But first open the radiator cap and start the engine. Watch for the coolant to bubble. Top engine and add coolant or water. Some times after doing work on a cooling system you may get air in the system and need to *burp* the systems.

Quote "and no coolant in my engine." Put some in

If the engine overheats from a thermostat
stuck closed or bad head gasket

Sounds like a leaking head gasket. The head gasket can allow coolant to leak into the cylinders, and compression to leak into the cooling system.

Hi Jonny, While the engine is cold the thermostat will be closed, allowing coolant circulation around the engine block and cylinder head but not through the radiator. Only when the engine has reached normal operating temperature will circulation be noted in the radiator. A good test is to remove the thermostat while the engine is cold , start the engine with the radiator pressure cap removed and observe flow. If as I suspect it is there, refit the thermostat and check the heat gauge. If all remains well there is no problem. If the engine overheats replace another thermostat. If there is no circulation with the thermostat removed, there is a blockage in the cooling galleries of the engine. If chemical flushing does not clear it, it will require disassembly of the engine with careful step by step inspection at every stage. If the cylinder head(s) had been removed I would suggest making sure of the galleries not being blocked by installing the gaskets incorrectly. Regards John

Hi there camcam,

Ok, first off the cooling system has to be full and circulating for the heater to work. When we get the rest of it solved, the heater will take care of itself.

Now the overheat problem. We need to determine if the engine is overheating because of lack of coolant or the lack of coolant is because of the overheating (Boiling off).

If you have to put in any significant amount of water on a regular basis, it has to be going somewhere. If there is a pool of coolant forming under the car, there's a leak. You need to locate it and act according to where you find it.

• Radiator - weld or replace
• Hoses - replace
• Water pump - replace (check fan if attached, for balance)
  

The thermostat is a temperature triggered valve that periodically routes coolant circulation through the radiator. This allows hot water from the engine to be exchanged with cool water from the radiator.

A malfunctioning thermostat doesn't allow the heat exchange process, the engine overheats, coolant turns to steam....

Although rarer, the same result occurs if the water pump does not circulate coolant. When a water pump fails, it's usually leaking through a shaft seal.

So, if you don't find a leak, the thermostat is the first (and least expensive) thing to address.

I hope you find this to be instrumental in solving your problem.

Best regards
Mike

Did you install a new thermostat and make sure to bleed all the air out of the system when you replaced the radiator? If you didn't, or installed a Stant thermostat, replace it with a FACTORY OEM thermostat. Make sure the cooling system is bled by opening your radiator cap (WHILE THE CAR IS OFF AND COLD), starting the car and running the heater. Add coolant to the radiator as the engine heats up, until is at normal operating temperature AND starts spitting coolant back out.

Hope this helps,
matt
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Chanses are you got an air pocket in the system, there should be a bleeder on top of thermostat housing to bleed off the air, also might be one by the water pump. Its a common problem on them cars after you have drained the coolant to do thermostat or waterpump. Just bleed off the air and you should be good to go.