Firstly id like to say that Legends are the bomb! here in aus people love commodores but i think you cant beat the Jap build quality..but

My 89 Legend suddenly overheated last week. It has been parked all day (coolish day) and when i got in it at the train station i drove it approx. 3km to the bank and by the time i arrived the temp gauge was peaking and it blew a hole in the radiator overflow due to pressure!! i cooled the car down with a hose and topped it up with water again. I then drove 2.5km back to my house and 1km befor i got home BANG - my top radiator hose exploded !

I have replaced the hose myself but when i took the bottom hose off not must water came out of the engine. After flushing radiator and running car for a while my temp gauge peaked, my to hose was hot as hell but my bottom hose was cold !

Whats doing with my car?? your opinions would be much appreciated

 

If it isn't leaking out anywhere check your fuse for you radiator fan.

 

It sounds as if the thermostat needs to be replaced. The coolant will not circulate if the thermostatis stuck in the closed position. This will cause the pressure to build up to the point where a hose will burst.

 

I second that. sounds like the t-stat is not allowing coolant to circulate through the system, so hot water stays in the block and gets hotter, while cold water remains in the radiator.

I'd take out the t-stat, flush the system, run the engine again (without it) and see if the temp peaks. If it doesn't that was probably the culprit. Then replace the t-stat. That's the cheapest part to replace before you blow a head gasket...or worse.

 

If the top hose is hot, that indicates that the engine coolant is getting past the thermostat. If the stat were stuck closed, then both hoses would be cool. It's starting to sound like a blockage in the rad itself.