Ok so I know if the lower rad hose doesn't get hot, that means ur thermo is stuck.

but i'm wondering, will it not begin to get hot until once the engine fully warms up?

I was watching my engine warm up for a while this morning,
and only the TOP hose got hot, while the bottom one stayed cold.

However I only watched it for like.. i duno 6min at idle,
cooling fans never came on. (got bored of sitting there so i just went).

usually when I check the motor while hot, both hoses are warm.

 

I would say if your top hose doesnt get hot, your thermo is stuck... after all, water circulates and falls down the radiator correct? so if your bottom hose doesnt get hot i would say your radiator is clogged. Quick test, drain your radiator and with the drain plug out, put your mouth over the fill hole and blow... does air come out the bottom? it should very easily.

 

well once it's fully warm, their both hot,

just as it's warming up the bottom one stays cold for a while

 

It takes forever for the fans to come on and the thermostat to open. Take it for a short drive next time to speed things along.

As long as the bottom hose gets hot, your thermostat should be okay. As they age, they can take longer to open though.

 

Normal.

No point in letting your car sit there and idle for 6 minutes either, particularly in California's climate. Anything over a minute is a waste of fuel. Just drive the car; it will reach operating temperature much faster. For a cold start, I only let the car idle long enough to build oil pressure and circulate oil through the engine.

 

rgr rgr,

ok I think you're right, thermo is ok.

i'm getting a new honda rad cap today though.
notice some air bubbles coming from the overflow tank. Though it was after a flush/fill so might have been trapped air.. buuuut I dunno..