Overheating... running out of ideas PLEASE HELP

[gwmlb]

Need help here. 87 325ic (E30)
Short version of story.. changed valve cover gasket and then for some reason car seemed to get hot...needle gets to red (yes I turned the car off).
So.. I changed thermostat... nothing different....
So.. I changed water pump (and timing belt) and another NEW thermostat... still goes to red
Have burped this thing forever... I still get a couple little bubbles but nothing major
Checked direction of thermostat, and believe it is correct.

Car will start up fine..needle moves slowly up but kind of slowly keeps going.. heat is hot from vents.

If I let it idle it will eventually go to red, if I reve it, it will go down a little sometimes but eventually will go to red and then I'll shut it down and try again to burp it again.. with very little bubbles but lots of antifreeze from the bleed screw.

SO......... what am I missing?????

[Rrrockhound]

How about your fans? Does the electric fan come on? Is the fan clutch OK?

[gwmlb]

Have ordered a new fan clutch, I was able to stop the fan with the newspaper test with a warm engine, so, assume that's the culprit

[Yurick]

If it's not your fan clutch, it could be a clogged radiator.