Hi,

I ran into a problem, the coolant temp sensor blew off, the plastic bracket that holds it in place snapped in half. I'll be ordering a new sensor with a gasket and the bracket however I think it's safe to assume that pressure buildup is at blame here but what would be the cause to this?

 

~A

That is a first 

Any pressure buildup should be vented through the cap of the expansion reservoir.

On second thought, I think there is a foreign object in the cooling circuit OR the thermostat is stuck closed.

@Automata - Building on @RicardoM comments, does the car show signs of overheating in general highway driving? Does the radiator top hose get hot when the temperature gauge shows normal (probably ~90C if it's calibrated, mid scale if it's not)?

 

If so, then with this engine you pretty much definitely have a coolant flow problem (thermostat stuck closed, badly silted radiator or obstruction in cooling circuit.