Air lock, overheat or waterpump??

Hi Peeps, need some views and opinions if possible as I'm running out of ideas.

Bit of history, Owned car for 13 months, but only got on road in August this year. When first bought I noticed a "ticking" sound on the cam side of the engine, put it down to possible blow in exhaust or alternator. Since August I've been unable to locate the cause of this "ticking", a tad annoying but didn't appear to be a problem.

TF is a late 2003 with PRT fitted. Car had water leak with temp gauge going into the red due to hole in engine bay metal water pipes. Was stopped when noticed and had done approx 2 miles from cold engine.

Changed engine water pipes for a set of second hand ones, pipes came with thermostat housing fitted so never swapped it with the original when fitting new pipes.

After fitting, heater/rad problems where the heater would start off hot but then run cold due to air in the system, bleed both; warm for a while but then go cold again.

Thought potential exhaust gasses entering coolant system but then put down to the possibility of the thermostat housing on the new pipes having thermostat in.

Removed to find thermostat in housing. Car had been used with two thermostats in situ, one in the PRT and the other in the pipes going to the block.

Put original thermostat housing into place (with no stat in it) and since then, cannot get any heat to heater and water pipes to rad stay cold. Previously heater did blow warm until air was in system

Have today re-bled the system and also been under the car to check water pipes to rad. Flow pipe to rad only got warm when I squeezed it continually, return pipe warm above the PRT but cold below (as expected) until I begun to squeeze it continually.

Water flowing freely out of all bleed points, also when squeezing flow and return pipe to/from rad water exits bleed point so does not appear to be any blockages.

Have also checked jiggle valve and its clear.

So, with the info above, could I still have an air lock?

Has the head gone soft allowing exhaust gasses to enter cooling system causing air locks?

Is the ticking sound I hear a potential problem with the water pump impellers meaning the pump is effectively not working?

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Air lock, overheat or waterpump??