I have a 96 Accord LX four cylinders.

Every time I start my car in the morning I hear water running through the whole engine when I accelerate. Today after coming from college I passed by to a Jack in the Box and I noticed that my temperature raised from 40% to 65% so I turned it off and later after I turned it back on the temperature was the same but I accelarated and the temperature went back to normal, I opened the hood and no burning smell came out and I even accelarated the engine hard to see if the temperature raised again but it didn't.
Can anyone help me is it the thermostat or my radiator. The engine is new it has less 100,000 miles and the radiator seems semi-used so what's wrong? thanks

 

question... how do you hear water running through your engine when you accelerate? excuse my ignorance.
(and, while low compared to the 216k miles on my car, i wouldn't call an engine with 100k miles on it "new")

did you notice if the fan was running when you turned the car off?
has the water pump ever been replaced?

sounds like your thermostat may just "sticking" however, there are other problems that may cause these symptoms too.

i would say just check all the fluids to be on the safe side and keep an eye on it. if you havent ever replaced the water pump, go ahead and do that. and the timing belt while youre at it if that hasnt been done.

just my 2 cents...

 

He's right,...fluids first,.. then thermostat.
If not,.. replace all switches that deal with cooling.
They're fairly cheap and it beats having to go thru them one by one. I wouldn't do water pump without the timing belt,.. but I doubt your problem is that serious.

 

sounds like thermostat maybe sticking in the closed position..they r a cheap fix u can do yourself.. see if the radiator moves any when u push back and forth on it.. they tend to separate from the support at the top, plastic tanks..check your hoses, small leaks at the ends or the top of the radiator under the cap..

 

you must have air in the system. the gurgling noise is the air and water in the your cooling system. the reason the temp gauge goes up when your not accelerating is because the coolant is not flowing as fast and there is a air pocket around your temperature sender. check your coolant level. if you don't find now leaks under your hood and smell no buring, check your heater core.