The engine is over heating. i checked and the radiator was empty, dead giveaway huh!...i filled it up, started the car and the water isn't circulating even though i drove it around for a short while to get the temp up. i then noticed a leak on the RHS of the motor, behind all the pulleys and wheels for the pulleys. geek speak for a non-petrolhead...i cannot pinpoint the origin of the leak precisely...can this be a cracked head..broken water pump...i'm not sure where the water pump is...please help a lost soul..

Is the car overheating?
The reservoir will fill up due to heat expansion in the system, this is normal. Top up at the radiator not the tank, run the engine and squeeze all the hoses to get rid of any airlocks.
Check on line to see if there is a bleed valve to get rid of any air in the system.
If the radiator was empty, the tank would not be full, unless you have a blocked coolant hose somewhere?

Take off the radiator fill cap.
Top off the radiator.
Crank the engine.

Are there bubbles or is there water spouting out of the radiator fill hole?

Yes: likely cylinder head gasket failure or cracked header.

No: Pressure test cooling system after topping off with a pressure tester. Locate source of leak.

Assuming the water leak isn't anything to do with the non-starting situation, which it probably is though form the sound of it, also check the following:

1) Air filter
2) Fuel filter
3) Manifold Air Pressure sensor.
4) Mass Air Flow sensor.

Change the thermostat and make sure you blead the system of air and if it still keeps heating up then you have a bigger problem and that is the head gasket.

There may not be enough coolant in the system. What happends is the heating core is nothing more than a small radiator inside the car. If the fluid is low the heating core is empty. But once you start driving the water pump works harder and fills it up. Another possible cause is a sticking thermostat. If its stuck open the engine cant retain water to heat it up. Thus blowing cold air. Whith the engine cold remove the radiator cap and check your coolant level. If it is full a replacement thermostat may be needed. HTH and dont forget to rate.

First of all see the fan is working,this probably the main cause,secondly it can be the water pump not working.I give a tips,to know if the the pump is working properly,when the engine is cold,you take out the hose from the radiator,the upper one,when doing that your radiator must be full of water,now let someone start the engine and you stay in front of the bonnet ,when already start the engine ,see from the the hose that you have taken out if water is coming out well,accelerate a little more see if the water come out rapidly and constantly,be careful not to let the radiator empty keep it with water keep filling it by using a water hose,if the water pump is not pumping enough that the cause of over heating.

Better have it checked for a possible headgasket leak. This can destroy an engine!!! (They can leak coolant into the engine oil)

No heat is often a symptom of low coolant, usually followed by overheat. There are other controls that regulate heater, but right now, re-fill the cooling system with engine running and heater on high, then check for leaks (coolant you lost went somewhere...you need to determine where) Low coolant will damage your engine. Take care of that first, then if heater still does not work, then do diagnosis on that. (if you loose the engine heat won't matter, will it!)

Thermostat

Test thermostat in a jug and pour boiling water on it , it should compress meaning it works. Check that the waterpunp is operating pushing water into the engine .Check that radiator water flows to the watrpump. Is tension of fanbelt of waterpump sufficient that it doenst slip. Lastly check that the radiator fan is working if has a electric fan. if this doesn’t help check if radiator or engine water passages isn’t blocked.

fill the reservoir with the coolant. it is a GOOD thing you dont see steam or a leak I hope.YOU DO WANT TO CATCH THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT REALLY OVERHEATS OR YOU MAY HAVE MORE COSTLY PROBLEMS. fill the reservoir. BUT, it may only fill the "radiator" once you do this as it cools off. As the radiator water cools it sucks the reservoir water into the radiator. as it heats up and the water swells (increases in volume) it pushes the excess into the reservoir. when the engine is good and hot and you dont have any coolant in the reservoir, that is a sign that the radiator is low or empty also.
when the engine is cold, find the radiator cap and remove it, add as much coolant you can there. fill the reservoir also. If it has been several years since the radiator cap has been replaced, I would do that now ( it is a cheap investment). if the gasket on the cap is not sealing well anymore or the exspansion valve mechanism on the cap is not working properly anymore, then it will let coolant pump out into the reservoir and not hold radiator pressure. if the reservoir is empty the radiator itself is probably too low or empty.

check your engine coolant, sounds like it is low.

With the vehicle off and engine cold, take the radiator cap off. If the water level isnt at the top of the radiator neck and/or the adjacent plastic bottle doesn't have any coolant in it...

With the radiator cap off, start the engine and let it warm up. Completely fill the radiator to the top of the radiator neck and fill the plastic bottle to the "fill line" inscribed on the bottle...both with a 50% water, 50% coolant solution.

install the radiator cap and after a minute or so check your heat in the passenger cabin...hope it works well now.