legacycentral bbs

good old ej22 decided to get hotter than normal today.
no coolant loss until i did the stupid thing of loosening the cap.
symptoms are hot top radiator hose, fins in radiator hot
top of radiator cool and bottom radiator cool to touch
does this sound like the thermostat??
usual story, happens night before heading off up the coast
any help much appreciated

yes cooling problems I love them, the hoses and stuff should be hot when the car is warmed up.

Get the thermostat done first.

when you replace t-stat, make sure you burp the cooling system.

There is a screw on the top of the driver's side (for RHD cars) of the radiator. You need to loosen that so trapped air can escape while filling the radiator.

Get the car on the steepest hill you can when doing it, or lift the front end somehow (ramps, jack stands). It helps to get air trapped in the heater.