I've read through many of the threads for this topic and have not seen one that is 100% the same to my issue. I'm having issues after part change outs maintaining a temp range within spec. I am hitting Temps upwards of 230 at 75 mph but averages at 225 - 226. When I am traveling at 30 - 40 or stop at lights it is 207.

I had changed out the water distribution block last year on the driver side by the valve cover. It started doing what I've explained above so i dropped it off at a mechanic. He changed out the thermostat and lower radiator hose plus pressure test and found no additional leaks. The problem above continues.

Would bad sensors on the distribution block do this or even the one on the radiator?

OffTopic: A while back, on and off, there has been discussion about razors and the cost of shaving. In 2017, I purchased a large quantity of "GOOD NEWS" blue disposable razors on Ebay for about 47 cents each. I rinse and dry them after each morning use and have determined that, for me, 15 days (2 a month) is the appropriate sharpness...even though Clark Howard and others report YEARS of sharpness. That being said, I was recently challenged by male family members that I am not getting a close enough shave blah blah blah. So I bought the top of the line GILLETE FUSION PROGLIDE razor (with $4 blade) and have been shaving with it for a few days. Bottom line: I like the way the handle feels but there is ZERO difference in my shave. I'm going back to the "GOOD NEWS", what can you say about shavers on https://profyshavers.com. I'll pay for a Cruze, but why waste money on something with no extra value?

 

It's certainly possible.Do you know what the acceptable ranges are? I am more familiar with large commercial diesel motor turbo's which are not the same. Since you changed out the WD block it should have helped, but it might be a bad sensor.

 

Completely normal. The cruze runs hot for emissions. Think of it as the ideal range for best emissions the temperature of the air entering the combustion chamber to mix with the fuel. When you're sitting still, the car will heat soak... the air isn't being cooled by the intercooler.. it will be hotter so they cruze makes the cylinder temp cooler to fix this.. hence at idle the temp is 207 by opening the thermostat.

Now the more airflow around the engine and cooler intake air... no heat soak... the engine needs to increase the cylinder temp. It closes the thermostat and brings the temperature up for the now cooler air entering the combustion chamber.

normal operating range for the 1st gen cruze is 190 to 230+degrees. This is why the thermostat has a heating element on it so the computer can adjust for emissions instead of traditional wax thermostats that remain mostly static.

 

This is the reason why you see so many overheating and coolant problems on the 1st gen.

It was a terrible idea to do this. Knowing as a 50/50 dexcool only has a boiling point of 266 degrees, they raised the pressure to 20 psi which is a lot of pressure for a cooling system held together by plastic that can't handle the heat cycles very well.

You could be cruising at 35 running 220 coolant and then need to accelerate and the turbo makes Cylinder temps skyrocket and before the cooler water from the radiator can keep things cool (because the thermostat was closed) everything in the water jackets are bubbling. Not for long but it happens. This causes the system to overpressurize and the surge tank to vent.

Hence the infamous, i smell coolant coming thru the cabin and the quick fix was to tape a hose so it didn't vent fumes to the driver. Which didn't address the issue of the coolant boiling in the engine and masked the problem.

This extreme stress cycle causes the thermostat, radiator, water outlet, and hoses to keep leaking and why so many cruze owners lost their investment.

All for emissions and GM wanted to make more profit instead of beefing up the cooling system.

 

THIS is exactly why I bought the 2.5-liter non-turbo Malibu, which Chevy removed out the engine fleet lineup in 2016. I love my Chevy. Best motor Chevy has made for light vehicles, IMO.

 

There are factory documents regarding the overflow bottle venting causing a smell. I have found most cases are as a result of a leaking overflow bottle. They split on the bottom and the obvious sign is a pink crust forming on top of the ABS module below the bottle. The crust is as a result of the coolant mix evaporating leaving that crust. As for the temperatures, I own the same car and have not found the temperature going over 215, and I do drive the car fairly aggressively.