Fan temp switch, works sometimes?? Options

[VavAlephVav]

so I've been nursing a bad headgasket, leaks exhaust gas into the coolant, but doesn't leak into the oil. for the most part I've just had to check and add a little more coolant once a week but it's gotten worse lately.
the system does not leak antifreeze from anywhere, it's only coming back out the overflow bottle. the water pump is only 6 months old, the cap is new(but aftermarket cheapy), T'stat is new and I even tested it in water on the stove with a thermometer.
I have seen for myself that if im sitting there watching it while idling in the driveway the fans cycle on and off like it ought to, but there have been a couple times lately, like today where I check the coolant level before I leave the city and head 30 miles home down the highway. just fine until after 20 miles I come to a traffic slowdown and as soon as I did the temp gauge starts to go up past normal so I pull over and shut it off before it gets all the way up. turn the motor off but turn the key back on and yet the fans are not running when the dash gauge reads above normal (3/4 of the way), I unplug the fan temp switch on the bottom of the radiator and the fans come on and I leave them run to speed up the cooling off time.
so Is it possible that the temp switch works intermittently? or is it the kind of thing that is either broken or not broken? I'd think if its some sort of semi-conductor (variable resistance with temp) then it very well could work intermittently, electronics are like that.
also I have a new cap but its an aftermarket cheapy from advance auto, It says 0.9 on it so I assume that is in Kg/cm^2 , the Toyota manual says it should be 4.3-14.2 psi or 0.3-1.0 Kg/cm^2 . 0.9 is close yet slightly lower than the pressure it should release, furthermore lately after It cools off I check it and the top radiator hose is sucked in(collapsed) under a vacuum. so maybe the vacuum valve doesn't work right either??
I had always thought that maybe the head-exhaust leak was bad enough that it couldn't form a good enough vacuum to suck the coolant back from the overflow, but if that hose is collapsed then It couldn't be that bad.
OR do you think it's possible that because the gauge on the dash comes from the sensor at the top of the motor that it may be hotter because of the exhaust gas in the system and is simply still not reading hot enough for the fan switch to come on at the bottom of the radiator?

so should I stop Effing around and buy a radiator cap from Toyota? but do you think I can get by with an cheap fan temp switch? if oreily wants $25 for it I'm afraid to call Toyota - I had hoped to pick up the head I'm going to rebuild from the salvage yard tomorrow as well - im trying to get it ready and do the head gasket in August.

[Box]

It's from air constantly getting into the system. Really need to find a time to take care of the head-gasket.

[VavAlephVav]

ya im going down to pick up the head today, but im gonna need to make it another month before I can actually do the job *crosses fingers*
which is all the more reason im gonna get another head and have it ready "ahead" of time I've probably crack this one.

[Special_Edy]

Just unplug the fan switch, it will force the fans to run nonstop while the ignition is ON. Unplug the two wire connector on the bottom passengerside of the radiator. The PO who was driving my GT around with a blown headgasket did the same thing, he also removed the thermostat.

You can get a gasket set for like $100-$150, $20 head bolts, and oil change for $20, some coolant for $10 and have the cylinder head chemical dipped and decked (where they cut a tiny bit off to make it straight and flat) at a machine shop for <$50. That brings the total to $200-$250 to do it yourself, and about two days of labor if you havent worked on a FWD DOHC before. Its 7 hours of labor according to the dealership but a lot of guys on 6gc could probably do it in half that time. The only other things Id suggest replacing are the waterpump, timing belt and oil pump; but personally I wouldnt bother wasting money on these items unless they have failed entirely.


I would highly recommend doing it yourself, literally the only thing you can mess up is reassembling incorrectly and having to start over. You will be an expert afterwards, and you'll save a bundle of $'s.

[Box]

Being a non-interference engine you have nothing to really worry about, you get as many do-overs as needed.

[VavAlephVav]

Well today I went down to pick up the used head and when the guys went to pull it they found they only had one and opened it up to find the cams already unbolted and missing pieces. So I didn't bother getting it, I feel good though that those guys aren't going to sell me something unless their sure it's good, they test every motor before they take it out.
I"ll wait another 2 weeks to pick one up from another place, I did find today that I could drive 200 some miles and not lose hardly any fluid if I stay below 3000 rpm. Im that guy in the right lane with the cruise set at 59 mph even when it's 70, but it will definitely keep me on the road a bit more. even if I were to do it myself I have to wait until August during the break between summer class and the fall semester. Then there's nothing to worry about if it doesn't get done for several days.

I considered leaving the switch unplugged but I wondered if that would cause some other trouble. I guess since it's not draining the battery it should be ok, I don't think I need to take the T'stat out. and I just did the whole timing belt, pulleys and water pump in December I'm sure that's alright. I'm also thinking that when it cranks, but won't start, the first two or three times its because there's not very good compression till the head heats up. It only does it first thing in the morning. /shrug
it would be different if this was my "other" car but it's only car I have, and I can't just not show up to class for a week, or even take several days off from doing my work for the class. I only take one class in the summer but they take a 16 week class and cram it in to 8 weeks. I'm at the sophomore level Vector Mechanics classes and their no joke.

[Special_Edy]

It doesnt start right away because the cylinders are filling with coolant when the motor is off. Its going to destroy your rings and pit your cylinder walls. Fix it pronto