2003 Neon SE. Just bought the car 2 days ago. Drove out ok with just a rough idle. Checked codes, bought cam sensor, gas cap to fix codes.
Today driving it picking up parts and doing errands. Started smelling coolant. Heard a dinging when I turned car off first time, didn't know what it was. Purchased insurance and plates. Started again noticed temp was a little high. As I was driving it home, temp kept going up, it never got into the red, but I dont know what happened when I wasn't looking earlier in the drive. Shut it off when I got home, overflow tank was empty, car was gurgling with engine off (coolant going back into tank, or air going back into tank).
I am afraid I have a head gasket to do, but I am going to fill it back up first.
What kind of coolant? I dont even have the workshop manual purchased yet!
Any other ideas of what to check? There are no signs of leakage, this is the first real drive the car has had since I purchased.
thanks...gary

 

Ok. The coolant has gotten back to the resivoir. There is coolant there, but on the low mark. Stuck Thermostat I hope?

 

Water Pump huh? That would do it also. Any bright ideas on how to check for a bad water pump? Wait till thermo opens and look at the flow going past the radiator cap?
Pretty obvious that I need help here. I can do the work if I can figure it out, but then, that's always the hard part huh?
thanks...gary

 

How's the radiator cap gasket?