My 86 Prelude SI is overheating, sort of. Here's the deal. I just started the car after letting it sit overnight (it was mid 30's last night) so the motor is ice cold. It starts and the temp gauge goes to about 80% in less than 5 seconds. If I continue to let it run, it will SLOWLY creep up to the top of the temp gauge. So far it sounds like a faulty gauge or sensor right? Wrong. When I let it run, there is no circualtion of coolant. So I thought that the thermostat was faulty or sticking, (unlikely, I replaced it, and all the coolant hoses a year ago) I tried running the car without a thermostat at all and it didn't help any, still no coolant circulation. So then I put the thermostat in hot water on the stove and it opened properly. So it's not the thermostat. Then I'm thinking it's the water pump. From what I understand, waterpumps just don't quit. They start leaking or a bearing or the shaft starts to quit and the thing slowly becomes less and less effictive. I checked out the water pump and there are no signs of leaks. The pulley and belt driving are functioning properly and I tried to wiggle the pump to check for a bent drive shaft, but it was rock solid. If is squeese the upper radiator hose it will pull some coolant though the system but hardly any. The radiator is stone cold. So are the hoses unless i squeeze them a bunch. I thought I might have had a vapor lock so I bled the coolant system multiple times and it did not help at all. The fans do not turn on. The head is hot but it dosn't seem as hot as the gauge says. There is no steam. The coolant system is full with 50/50 coolant/water mix. The car was working great a week ago. I'm stumped. I don't want to replace the water pump if it's not the problem. What do you guys think? Thanks for your help.
Rick

 

water pumps don't jsut die over night do they? If they did, there would be leakeage correct?