'92 Merc Sable 3.8L temp issue

[65f100CoryE.]

heres the deal.
Bought a '92 Mer sable wagon off a 85yr old lady, has 63119km on it.
I get it home and next time I take it out needle goes right to hot
have no defrost etc..
I changed the stat, made sure coolant was up etc..
still doing it. so I gripped the top rad hose and you can feel the warmth when the stat opens so that seems to be be fine but temp shoots way up hot and no heat in side? other than that feels like a new car.
idea's I have heard water pump, rad, head gasket etc.
Coolant is rarely low and the exhaust is clean as clean.
could it be as simple retarded as an air lock in the system somehow? I am really stumped with this thing.

[85e150six4mtod]

Look for ways to bleed air. Our GM product had two and you needed both. Can't remember the 3.8 as I sent my 3.8 Ford down the road in 1997....

[ynevada]

3.8's are good for headgaskets.....

[Rockledge]

Originally Posted by ynevada

3.8's are good for headgaskets.....

I'd also put my money on a blown headgasket.

[Kruse]

Originally Posted by 65f100CoryE.

so I gripped the top rad hose and you can feel the warmth when the stat opens so that seems to be be fine but temp shoots way up hot and no heat in side? other than that feels like a new car.

I think '92 was bad for both water pumps and head gaskets. First replace the water pump, (I saw one of these once with only one impeller left), then I'd bet a dollar the head gaskets are next.

After that, you'll have a good car. Oh, yea. Quite often the O2 sensors need replacement also as the bad ones will trip the CEL. (I'm just going by the reputation of the 3.8 engine. Maybe yours has completely different problems)

[65f100CoryE.]

I thought head gasket too but the coolant is rarely low and the motor truly is not overheating I have driven it for an hour strait with that temp bouncing off the high mark and it doesn't even change its beat at all. The exhaust is completely clean.