I have a 2001 accord Lx . It ran hot one day. Changed out thermostat,ran fine for a few days, got hot again, the temp gauge wasnt working at the time & both fans would only work if a/c was on.. changed out temp sensor & plug, bought new radiator ,changed out timing belt & waterpump. After changing radiator the fans started working correctly.. .. now it seems to be losing water & at first none was missing from resovoir..I've watched it very closely.. I'm somewhat sure it doesn't hsve a cracked head... it doesn't smoke .. there's nothing extra in oil.. it doesn't knock or smoke.... I'll drive a full 10 miles before it tries to run hot.. not sure what it is!!

 

Does the windshield fog up and can smell of coolant when you activate the windshield defrost?

I hate to send you down that rabbit-hole, but if the answer to that is “yes” then the Heater Core is where you could be losing coolant from and getting air in the system.

There is also a way to test your coolant for exhaust gasses, which is not a bad idea while you’re on the path of diagnosis.

Exhaust gasses that manage to enter the coolant system will heat up the coolant excessively and cause overheating. This can be caused by warping of the head, even if the gasket itself is not ruined.