tlucach1972

I replaced the timing belt and everything that goes with it 3 weeks ago. I drove it from CO to MN and it ran cold. It also takes some time to warm up and it did not do this in the past. I replaced the thermostat here in MN and it still runs cool, but not as cool as it did with the last thermostat. I changed the thermostat out after driving for a bit and the coolant on the radiator side was warm. When I pulled out the thermostat very cold coolant came out. I did this job outside and in 8 degree weather in the sun. I had the car warmed up to use the warm block to warm my hands on.
Since changing out the thermostat it has not been much over 0F here in MN. Last night I drove 70 miles in negative 16F and it didn't get much above the three close marks near C. I had the main radiator covered in cardboard on this trip. The heat blew nice enough but I need a new fan as this one doesn't seem to blow very hard. I'm glad I have a heated driver seat.
I had to jump start another car and had the heater fan on and the car idling trying to get the other battery up to charge to start the other car at negative 8F and the radiator fan never came on and the the temp did get over the first thick bar at the 1/3 mark. I had it idling for over 20 minutes.
1) Why would the coolant on the spring side of the thermostat be cold? The spring side is in the block as per memory and checking on other posts to make sure it was put in correctly. The bar is perpendicular with the ground and the air release hole is at 12 o'clock or so.
2) Could the new water pump have an impeller spinning the wrong way? I say no because if the impellers faced the wrong way it would just be an ineffective pump but water would not circulate the wrong way.
3) Why is the car not warming up?

I'm getting 26 mpg on the trip computer driving at 65 mpg even in the cold.

Another question... Does any harm come from driving without the power steering belt hooked up. I have a blown rack seal and would rather fix it myself at my garage in western Colorado.
I have driven it over 500 miles since having to cut the belt. The local guy has never done the job and I'm sure I have enough knowledge to do the job myself and do it correctly without putting the wrong fluid in it. Plus he once worked for a shop I vowed to never have work on another car of mine since they put too much oil into a car I had in for an exhaust repair and blew out my rear main seal.