I am having a similar problem. I just replaced the water pump, thermosat, belts and hoses. Now my top hose and top of the radiator are hot, but the top hose is not hard as it was before and I can remove the radiator cap right away. The bottom hose is noticably cooler than the top, which also is not hard. I was wondering if I installed my thermostat backwards? Maybe this is now normal? Temps hold consistently at 81-82.

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