Can't help you with the smog check, and it may help if you let us know where in the S you are as laws vary as I understand it. I'm not familiar as we don't have any smog laws up here where I live. The cars often need to 'burp'. This can take a little while, but open the temp setting on the heating t...

The coolant header tank/reservoir only has a very small part of the total coolant. If you are concerned you can run the engine in your drive until it gets up to temp and allows the thermostat to open. That way you don't need to worry about the engine overheating as you should catch it quickly if it ...

Most emissions testing require both the CEL To be off and most ot all of the monitors to be ready , so that you can’t clear it just before testing to cheat the test, You have to clear that code and run 100-200 miles before testing for smog. The EPA issued Federal guidance that allow some slack of on...

If you are well above freeze point just replace with water until you track the leak down. There are lots of small hoses that can spring a leak

As tyou have a 97 GLT (so should be a low pressure turbo) check the following: 1) There are I believe 2 turbo coolant hoses at the rear of the engine near the turbo that like to fail randomly. 2) Check the pipe at the rear of the block from the header tank. The pipe can crack with age and also check...

Fill it up with distilled water and drive like a granny. If its a really long trip, pull over and check every 15 minutes. Keep several gallons in the trunk. If water is pouring out onto the ground, then obviously don't drive it. If the system runs dry, the temp gauge won't help you as it reads water...