Keeping my cool...

[Krem]

I just can't do it... well, that's what my car tells me anyways..

Cre: you're pretty familiar w/ this already, and if it seems I'm disregarding any advice, please disregard... however, I've tapped out my funds trying to repair and still at ends...

138k miles, no leaks evident and coolant levels have been roughly the same in the resevoir for the couple of months I've had her. The level within the radiator has been right up to the cap everytime I've checked (checked when car was cold).

Issues: Smelt HOT/burning coolant smell and engine heats up fast and stays hot after shut off.

Addressed: This weekend I put in a new thermostat and gasket, as well as upper and lower radiator hoses.. concluded w/ a flush and new mix.. no leaks were evident during process and fluid is retained with no problems.

I was told due to the engine temp I brought the car in was soo high they doubt the work I had done on the cooling system would help. Sure enough, they were right.. I don't smell the burning coolant smell as bad any more but I'm just assuming that's from having clean (non-burnt) coolant for this time being. However, my engine seems like it's heating up faster and more than it did before the flush. So naturally, I'm fearfull it could be a water pump, radiator or the all famous BHG tho I have no signs of one appart from a hot running engine. Is there anything I might be over looking? Is there a way I can easily determine if it might be water pump or radiator over the other? $40 for a BHG test kit is acceptable.. if there was something simple I can do for diagnostic purposes, I'd appreciate the knowledge.. after doing what I thought needed to be done and still having the problem, I'm not keen to fork out hundreds on a radiator and hundreds more for a water pump (if only replacing one is all that's necessary).

Dunno if it matters or helps, but she blows cool air thru my interior vents when I don't have the climate control system on... if I try bumping the temp up into the 80's, it still just blows cool air.. so I'm guessing I have a heater hose issue, but could it really effect the cooling system? Could it be other issues such as exhaust or ignition timing? I'm starting to think it's not the water that's over heating, it's the engine itself... I'm just unsure if it's a result of not getting enough water or if something else is heating the engine up soo fast the water can't disperse enough of it?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated... visual aides are greatly valuable in my understanding but not at all necessary.