[sd1984]

My 84' 944 decided to get hot one day so I investigated and found I had a broken/faulty thermostat. So I replaced it with one from an autoparts store. That didnt seem to do the job. Then i remembered I had the updated waterpump and decided I needed the correct thermostat for that pump.

I ordered and installed:
944-106-019-00-M2 Thermostat
944-106-929-08-M2 Thermostat Seal outer
951-106-155-00-M204 Thermostat seal in pump

To my amazement, the 'in pump' seal didnt fit...
Also after getting the seal to work the thermostat does not seem to work. I don't think there is any coolant going threw the engine because
1. The fan never turns on, at all, and I know my fans work and the thermoswitch works, tested them both
2. All I see is steam coming out of the bleed screw next to the upper radiator hose.

A few questions:
Which way does the coolant flow? Does it go from the top of the engine(upper radiator hose) through the radiator and then to the pump?
What could be causing my thermostat to not open? i tested it in water on the stove and they open... I dont have the thermostat in backwards.
Is there coolant that bypasses the thermostat so it can actually get to the engine, get hot, and then trigger the thermostat to open when it needs to?

I was thinking that somehow there wasnt any coolant getting to the engine after I filled it up, so the thermostat wasnt seeing hot coolant, so it never opened.

Does the thermostat need to see hot coolant before it will open? could the hot coolant not be getting to the thermostat somehow?

How does any coolant flow when the car is warming up, in order for the thermostat to see hot coolant and open up?

Also, I took the thermostat out and drove without for a couple weeks and the car worked fine, never got hot so my pump and everything else works. the fans even turned on some when i was in traffic..

WHAT IS WRONG!?!?!?!

I am totally lost. Anyone know when I can find moire detail as to how the 944 thermostat works and the way it seals in the waterpump?

Is there some special thing I am missing due to the updated waterpump?

I have all the seals, the shim and the c-clip.... And the thermostat works as i tested it.

Sorry for the length and all the questions, I just can't wrap my head around why it wont work.... thanks for any help