timing and everything is fine. My uncle (mechanic) is convinced that its the radiator. See over the weekend it was fine running a stock fan. Saturday it threw a platic fan at high rpm(not cool) Since then ive put the thermo in and when i think about it ever since it hasnt been the same. He reckons that the thermo and the stock radiator are a bad mix. Ill throw in my gemini radiator tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Fingers crossed it will be problem solved.

I had a stock radiator & davis craig 10inch thermo on my A14 running 10.5:1 comp ratio on a 35-40 degree day & it sat on 80 degrees with the thermo cutting in & out in trafic.
Freak I think you should get the radiator cleaned out & then try it again or you have a faulty thermostat. I know you have changed it but try another one & see what happens for the sake of 15 bucks
Good luck
Coops

just put a brand new one in. I too ran the same setup a while back on my other one with no problems. But maybe a few tubes are blocked and the thermo hanging out in front i making it that little bit worse. Ill use the gemini and see how it goes. I was going to have to put it in sometime before summer comes around anyway.

Brand new 82

i had a similar problem with my a14 turbo
i replaced everything including upgrading to a gemi radiator
thermostat in thermostat out it still heated up like a bitch
all it ended up being was my radiator cap
i couldnt believe it
is it the same situation here????

Get a new radiator while they last Gettable at $200, run coolant in them, and they'll last another 20 years. A bad radiator can make any car run hot. It's a great lesson to learn.

Especially when you've checked everything else, are you sure your timing is right? That'll also give you some funky temperatures.

you said it threw the plastic fan at high RPM, I don't suppose that mishap could have damaged the water pump somehow? damaged water pump bearing or something?

You must be readin' my mail Blofly as I was thinking the same thing. I threw a metal blade from the fan in my 1000 many years ago without further problems, but in this case, it seems to be a bit coincidental doesn't it.
I have heard of impellers coming loose on the water pump shaft & not rotating in the past, so it's not unheard of. It's a long shot, but a proper radiator test first, & if it's perfect, then it's only a few bolts to pull the pump for a good old twist test.

The timing can be set right, but is the vacume advance diaphram working, but that would only cause the temp to rise under a load.

I noticed in your first post a comment about machining the head. Was there any chance that the new head gasket had the incorrect water holes or that the holes for the water passages were not lining up properly? - this would explain the very rapid heating that you are referring to.