Is my thermostat broken?
 

Ok so yesterday my mom, bro, and I were heading to Jersey first to my uncles then to my dad's. I followed my mom in my car and after about 80 miles the car started to overheat. The temp gauge just slightly rose above normal and after going up even more it crept back down to normal. I didn't think much of it other than maybe an air bubble that got burped out.

Well about 5 miles later the car started doing it again, this time it rose even higher, and then it once again kept creeping back down and fluxuating. We pulled over for a while, let it cool down, and took off again. It happened once more so we left the car sit and all piled into my mom's car for the rest of the trip.

I picked the car back up at night time and managed to drive home the whole 80 miles without a problem. The temp gauge STILL fluxuated though, but this time it went between being normal and being half-warm.

Please, tell me this is just a broken thermostat? I hope its not the headgasket but I won't know for sure until i have a compression test done.

Re:Is my thermostat broken?
 

its probly your head gasket man, are their any other symptoms?

Re:Is my thermostat broken?
 

you could start with a thermostat, since they're so cheap. But the chances that its something else are pretty good.

Re:Is my thermostat broken?
 

definatly start with a thermostat and then bleed the cooling system real good. Go on a few test drives and cross your fingers ;)

Btw, head gaskets are really easy to replace.

Re:Is my thermostat broken?
 

Well no other symptoms really. No noticeable loss of power, etc... I took two 10 mile trips tonight and no sign of overheating, just goes to normal than heads back down a little colder again.