Forgot to add: mine takes about 6-8 mins to get to 160 on 70 degree day. I have an h-mount Chevy double pass rad with dual 10" fans and a gutte thermos.

 

does it go above 160? i don't want to damage anything by driving it cold all the time.. and definitely would not like to drive around smoke-screening the city

 

Well yea it does, I always let it warm up atleast 6 mins and that's the temp it's around.

My thermos is gutted because ambient temps get to 110+ sometimes.

 

I don't doubt your veracity and "cursed" would be as good an explanation as any (except for the one that actually solved the problem) but I think we can agree that your engine is an outlier and not to be emulated.

In theory, removing either the thermostat or the fan shroud is a bad idea...both together, insanity.

A few years ago I had thermostat troubles and went through two before the third worked properly. The first two appeared OK as they were tested in boiling water on the stovetop but were totally erratic in the vehicle.
I had no explanation but logic dictated that the thermostat was the culprit, so I persevered and third time was a charm.

Also not to be discounted are hard to find water leaks in secondary loops (BAC/thermowax and heater) that may be introducing air to the system and creating steam pockets.

Even if your thermostat has the jiggle pin, it doesn't hurt to add a hole of your own just to help the bleed process.

 

^THIS. Absence of a jiggle pin would make it very difficult to get the air out of the system. I have an s5, but it seems like it would be fairly simple to drill and tap the aluminum s4 thermostat housing to install a bleeder valve.

Air in the system could have very well been the problem in the first place.
But taking a thermostat out completely could theoretically cook your engine without you even realizing it.

 

i wonder why my car never gets above 160 O.o hahaha pretty weird