Are you sure it is overheating,if you drop it to idle it should continue to overheat and more,not suddenly cool down(engines don't cool down quickly)have you lost any water!if not then you don't have a leak and the head gasket is ok,the water pump may have gone or the sender is telling you lies,does the fan cut in when it should?Why do you think it is overheating,the gauge says it is and five mins later says it isn,t.You've tackled the problem from the middle not the start,go back to the start.
Rich
April 2010