Really newbish question involving NAPA thermostats

[Oreopride18]

Is anyone else using a NAPA thermostat in their car? To make a long story short my car crazy overheated and blw the stock thermostat in half. So I went to NAPA and got a new thermostat and gasket.

The first thing I noticed was the part was about 3/4ths the size of the stocker. Also, the instructions say to put the gasket ON TOP of the thermostat. So I didn't have much faith.

Then when I got home I attempted to put it in and, low and behold, it was an unsnug fit. It goes in and covers the whole but just a tap or so will cause a part of the hole underneath to show.

So I call back NAPA, ask em about the part number, and sure enough it goes to a 92 Talon (I'm sure the Turbos and N/As have the same one but if not tell me)

Anyway; I get the car up and running and something really weird happens. It warms up fine but as *every* DSM owner knows when the car warms up properly it is on the lower side of the boat-looking thing. Mine irks to the middle and just *sits* there and that always indicates "the car is driveable but you do have a problem." It won't creep past half and it will just move back a tad to near-normal operating temps then move forward to the middle.

I'm starting to have my worse fears and think I warped the head or something. I see a few small bubbles popping when the radiator cap is off but I was under the impression a blown head gasket causes a constant bobbing of the coolant. Oh, and the following should be known:

-131k mile engine
- nearly- new Greddy Radiator cap (the car has ran fine with it for 10k miles)
-new thermostat and gasket
-coolant lines blocked off from turbo with fitting since the Garrett is oil cooled only
water pump is 22kish miles old
new coolant

Anyone? Could I have warped the head to cause this condition? NAPA thermostats = ass? Turbo and N/A's have different thermostats?

Any help appreciated.

 

[BUCK]

(I'm sure the Turbos and N/As have the same one but if not tell me)

Not per the Manual they aren't - The Thermo Housing is different too - Turbos need a Thermo with the 'weep' vent in it - I just cut the brass thing off my weep vent so it could flow a little when cold.