[Keithc8]

Doug,

Make sure that you are getting all of the air out of the system. They make a set up where you can pull a vacuum on the system to make sure you get the air out and the water in. Make sure that the head gaskets are on the right direction as well and that the thermostat is not sticking. I have seen people not get the system full of water because the thermostat was not open yet. I even put the water hose in the tank and run the car for a while with water on to force more water in. Remember the temp gauge will not read air, only water so if there is no water where the gauge is it will stay on what the last water temp was that it saw. Then when to water makes it back to the gauge it spikes up from the new water temp reading.
Did you have any of these problems before you had the engine apart? I have seen very few cracks in those blocks are heads that you have.

Later, Keith