Engine 1990 car overheating at idle and rad staying cold

[5.0Mitch]

put my car away for the winter and it was running fine but had a small oil leak out of the timing cover so when i brought it out of storage i pulled the timing cover and replaced the gasket and also put on a new water pump on because mine had a water stain out of the weep hole.
when i went to run the car to get the air out of the cooling system it took about 10-15 minutes to get to the temp it was running at before but it kept climbing. i shut the car off when the temp got to 3/4 of the way on the gauge and then felt the rad and it was still completely cold. i have now removed the thermostat housing because i thought that i might have put the thermostat in backwards when i reassembled but it was in the correct way and i can push it open with my fingers so i know its not siezed. also take into account that this is a brand new water pump, new rad a year ago, all new hoses a year ago and the thermostat is only a year old as well. just wondering if anyone has some insight into what the problem could be. only thing i can think of is maybe the thermostat will open by pushing it open but wont from the heat of the coolant. i am about to go and test it in some boiling water

 

[mikestang63]

test the thermostat in boiling water
make sure all the air is burped
make sure the lower hose isnr collapsing

 

[jrichker]

Depending on which rotation water pump and belt routing you have, you might be turning the water pump in the reverse direction. Look at the belt routing diagram on the brace across the top of the radiator for the belt routing diagram.