[wilf]

Jenny- it is not uncommon for folks to have trouble getting all the air out of the cooling system on these cars/engines if they have been emptied/refilled - sometimes called an "air lock". The process of getting the air out is often known as "burping".

As to the high temps you are seeing, firstly I would check the accuracy of your guage - I assume it is of the electrical type (i.e. a wire runs between the sensor and the guage, rather than a very small diameter copper pipe)?

Arrange to get the sensor into some boiling water whilst still connected into the car's systems - you will need to rig up an earth wire from the body of the sensor to the car's frame as well. See what reading you get on the guage - this tells you a lot.

As to causes of high temps - air lock, faulty thermostat, blocked radiator, collapsed radiator hose(s), faulty electrical cooling fan or temperature switch. There are some to be going on with.

My suspicions lie in the fact that you did have the fans cutting in at too high a temp - probably boiled the water a bit, introduced air into the system, caused air lock, gave rise to continuing high temps. Try bleeding air out of the system from the highest point you can access.

Also, now you know not to take the cap off the system if the engine is hot!

HTH