I am so pissed it ain't even funny. I am about tired of breaking down on the highway. This morning the check guages light dinged at me, I look over and my temp is in the red. I immediately pull over and shut her down. I call my dad (bless his heart he is starting to despise working on these cars of ours). He brought out anti-freeze. I know it was just checked at the end of January when I had the oil changed. It has fluid. We swap cars and I'm back in moms buick. He is at home trying to figure out what is wrong with the car. He tried draining the radiator and only got 1 gallon out of it. The thermostat is only a year old. So- is the the water pump, the radiator, or any thing else?????

Sorry to hear about that. I updated your title to something more relative to the thread.

First thing to check is the water outlet from the intake. They are originally plastic and break with enough time.

Next thing is the hoses...are the heater hoses original

Then move onto radiator side tanks..they like to crack and bulge over time.

And yeah..check el waterpumpo

Look at area where the coolant elbow runs out of the water pump into the engine block. Do you see any signs of dried coolant there? Also, look below the water pump pulley for caked coolant. Check the upper and lower radiator hoses from where they meet radiator and follow them to the tstat housing (upper) and the engine block (lower). While you're by the tstat, check to see if that'* sealed properly Also, look underneath your throttle body for a pile of green goo sitting on the transmission housing, if you see that, it means your TB gasket failed.

Somewhere along those lines you might find the problem. If not its deeper then I've explored when I was looking for leaks on my 95.

Second thoughts..I'm with Don.. if you don't see fluid do a thermo...

Morty (neither your car or hers has a coolant elbow...coolant outlet)

The tube running from the water pump to the engine block. What is the correct term for that?

Tracy..sorry about being off topic. Morty is (I think) referring to the coolant outlet that is a tube coming out of the intake then uses a rubber hose to go to the water pump.

and Morty: COOLANT OUTLET

Dad said he checked all of the above. He is thinking perhaps thermostat also. He drained some fluid out (said it was a little greasy in there) and replaced it. He is also thinking that the fan never came on cuz the temp did start climbing once. He is going to get the thermostat and take it from there. I'll keep you posted and if you can think of anything else let me know- please!! Thanks.

Have him pull the fan relay...clean if necessary and install/remove it 5 or so times to make sure all contacts are clean and working.. If he can bench test it for continuity that'* a good test as well.