Yes I'm a bit swamped with work and can't mess with the car as much as I'd like.
Today's test and the answer is.. hmmm.
The neighborhood loop is 3.8 miles where I try to average under 45mph / 2500rpm in 3rd gear. Ambient temperature started at 95 and finished at 98. IR before starting shows everything on the car at 92-95. After 4 laps the average temp stabilizes at 206. For less than a half of a mile I ran in 2nd gear with it 3000-3500 rpm and it climbed to 212. Back in 3rd/2500rmp and 3 laps later it's toggling between 208-210. Then for my last lap and a half I turned the ac on and it climbed to 219 before I turn off and headed home. In the garage idling it climbed to 228 where I shut it down. No gurgling/bubbling though. The factory 260 gauge was pointing to the first tick after the 190. IR didn't show the back of the head or the radiator over 200-205. Not sure how effective it is against shiny aluminum.
RonDavis radiator, fans both working. No automatic blead from the radiator to the back. Likely removed by the prior owner 20 years ago. Water pipes all in the stock location more or less except they're 1 1/2 verses 1 3/8 except where the hit the swirl tank where my mechanic radiused them from 1 1/2 to 1 3/8. Have the higher flow aluminum upper water pully. No heater hoses. One port is plugged and the other is used as the Fitech water temp sending port **. The Fitech handheld gives water temp readings from that port in 1 degree increments. At 190 both the stock gage and the Fitech are in sync. The factory gauge temp sender is in the recommended location. I'm using a stock Stant 180 as the Titus block does not have the Cleveland bypass setup.
Is the temp from the stock temp sender reading water return from the radiator?
My "assumption" is that the Fitech sender is reading the temp heading out towards the radiator? If so what would the max acceptable out bound temp?