The alignment that was completed with worn components was not accurate because of worn parts. Also bolts and bolt holes arent to 0.0001" tolerance so the newly installed struts are not necessarily in the same place as they were before.
Also if you still have ANY suspension or steering components that are worn, damaged, or have play, then they HAVE to be replaced before an alignment can be done
Potentially a sensor failing or a wiring issue have to confirm its not actually overheating first. Have you recently had any work on your cooling system or engine? Have you got any coolant leaks? Is there coolant in the reservoir?
Its past just surface rust. To properly repair them:
Demount the tires
Remove the valve stems
Wire wheel the rust off
Determine whether you care enough to repair the rust damaged surface or not
If you do- fill, sand, and prep the surface for paint
If you dont- prep for paint
Then hit it with something duplicolour wheel paint, then clearcoat according to the manufacturers instructions
When they are 1000% cured, reinstall the valve stems and mount and balance the tires
You blew out the seal on the piston? Twice? Thats abnormal
Can you afford a car payment, and the insurance that goes with that?
Did you replace with oem parts, or with aftermarket parts. Makes a huge difference in quality and durability.
Regardless, a rack shouldnt leak after 15k, but a cheap reman, with cheap seals, and an already honed bore thats slightly oversized could absolutely leak after 15k
A cracked piston will allow significant compression gasses through. A compression test will shoe low compression in the hole with a broken piston and a leakdown test will determine that its from the piston or rings.
Spend 2 hours of labour on a compression test and accompanying leakdown test on the low cylinder. If all cylinders have good compression, its not a cracked piston
Sounds like it could be loose flexplate bolts. You just had a transmission installed?
Skid plate, or plastic belly pan?
Yep 100% it could be stuck closed.
P0128 is ‘thermostat rationality’ which means the coolant didnt warm up at the rate expected. Could be too fast, could be too slow. You should have replaced the thermostat at the first indication of failure. Pentastar engines are not super tolerant of overhesting