The car is a Y reg 6n2 1.4 8v. I have replaced the thermostat as the old one was cracked and broken but the car still over heats. I ran the car for a few miles with no thermostat and it was fine just didn't get up to temperature, as far as I can tell its pretty hard to put it in wrong but obviously something is not right. I have never seen this type of thermostat before;

The problem is often with the housing, there's a bridging part that's supposed to hold the the thermostat central, if this fails the stat sits off centre and blocks the water flow

Is the pin from the thermostat supposed to go through a hole in the bridging part? so then when the 'stat opens it pushes the bridge away from the engine? Or is there not supposed to be a hole? The hole is perfect size for the pin to go through so I assumed it was supposed to be like this. Cheers

The PIN end should locate in the hole in the stat cover bridge piece

I'm pretty sure its in right then i'll double check in the morning cheers

There should be no hole in the bridge, just a tiny recess for the pin to sit comfortably, if the pin goes right through you need a new bridge which you can get off ebay instead of getting the complete housing.

Cheers chaps replaced both parts and its fine now

No problem buddy :)

Just in case anyone else needs to do this I got both parts for £18 from motor parts direct.