Engine running hot

Started with heater core leaking in floor. I tried flushing cooling system. When I pulled drain plug on radiator, nothing came out. Put two 22oz bottles of Prestone flush+cleaner in to radiator. Drove it one hundred or so miles with drain plug out. I finally got a piece of 14 awg copper wire and dug it out till water started flowing. I bypassed heater core till I had time to replace. I replaced it finally and forgot what hose went where on core. "Still not sure if they are right. I changed thermostat. It seems to me that the coolant just not flowing right. Can we start with the two hoses going to core?