So quick back story purchased for 100 bucks it's rough but it ran good. Drove it a bit intake started leaking at the back side. Never overheated.

Fast forward to now I changed intake gasket and thermostat now it builds up pressure at the thermostat. The upper hose get hard as a rock and the stat won't open. Decided to change water pump and the tstat again make sure it wasn't a bad one.

Exact same issue when it's sits under pressure and hot eventually the tstat opens but pressurizes again. There's no boil over it just holds. I have tried bleeding air off but doesn't seem to do anything.

Kinda at a loss....

Other notes flushed the radiator. It dose have a body lift without a radiator relocate.