[Tank86]

so today i installed brand new BBK Headers, Catted X-pipe ( "capped" the smog pump tube inlet bc i didnt have one), and also i changed my drive belt. my car is running much warmer than usual, but seems to stop close to the red line for the temp. which of these could have caused this?

* also, with the exhaust --- it has no leaks, however...
when i am driving, typically in fourth, and i give it gas, it doesnt quite accelerate right away, there is a "popping" noise, and then it begins to accelerate.

[Digsj7]

Throw a temp gauge on it and see what it actually is. Stock gauges are junk.

[86_Notch]

This may be a dumb question but are you sure you routed the belt the way it came off ? Just because you may have routed it correctly doesn't mean the previous owner didn't do something funky like installing a standard rotation water pump and route the belt a different way

[fb93]

Theres no reason to have cats if youre blocking off the smog pump.

I dont remember who told me but i was always told that if you run cats, dont block or cap anything off. Couldve saved some cash and got an o/r pipe instead.

Unless im missing something the smog pump sucks in air which gets diverted to the engine for reburning exhaust gasses, but more importantly to the cats so the catalyst can convert the gases to be less toxic. Without that seemingly insignificant amount of extra fresh air, the catalyst can overheat and begin to melt down. When it does this the cats become clogged, and if they clog bad enough the engine cant get rid of the exhaust. Where does all that exhaust/heat go? Back to the engine. Its entirely possible.

That may or not not be your overheating issue, but its something to think about.

The only other things that come to mind is maybe the rad cap is no longer holding pressure or you have air bubbles in the system, or the radiator itself is clogged. Head gasket maybe?