wntrrun: one thing you just described made me think of another experience I've recently had with my pick-up......I hate to show my ineptitude to the 10%'ers on the board, but,


Deep Breath.................

My company truck's temp guage was all over the place for about two years...running normal going down the road, spiking up to high non-consistently. Loosing water out my overflow tube. Took it into the shop.....I put the bloody thermostat in backwards!!! Make sure the copper element is towards the block!!!!

I just mention it because it happened to me, my previous thermostat was either in backwards and I copied the mistake or I crackered the whole job in my driveway on a dark cold stormy night.......yours is probably right