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ok, so im new here and need some help as i am panicking. I have a 99 saturn SL2. The other day, i was driving and the temp started to climb higher than normal. When i was going fast it would go down and stay down but idling caused it to rise. At one light it got to just under the red area which was the highest it had been and began to have white steam coming out of the hood. I shut it off, let it sit a minute or two, started it up and got to a parking lot a hundred yards away.

Investigation under the hood and i found the oil cap was off the engine. let it sit for a while, checked the oil and there was still enough to register on the dipstick, it took 3/4 of a quart and it was back in the normal zone. Since then it still over heats when idling but is fine when at speed. Changed the thermostat and drained and filled the coolant. Still did it today, was fine when at speed, as soon as i was driving around a parking lot it heated back up. Im scared i did something bad and that the head gasket is blown or the block is cracked. Im a college student with no money, but a fairly handy DIYer. can anyone help me and offer their opinion as to what is causing it?  

do the electric radiator cooling fans work?????


does the system hold pressure????


is the outside of the radiator plugged with dirt and debris??? so it limits the airflow through the radiator..