I have a 350 in a 72 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup with 350 pretty much stock except MSD Ready to Run and ceramic headers with performer intake and qjet. I have a 195 degree tstat. When I warm up the truck it will get over half way from center on the stock gauge and then drops to about 1/4. I am assuming that when it is over half it is a about 195 or a little higher. That would mean I am running well under 195 under normal driving conditions. I don't have a temp gauge hooked up yet but it seems reasonable that it is running very cool and is probably hurting my performance and mileage. I don't think a higher temp tstat would make any difference in cruise temp. Timing is at 36 all in at 2800. Is there a good way to make this run a little hotter to help fuel burn, power and mileage.
I have a 350 in a 72 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup with 350 pretty much stock except MSD Ready to Run and ceramic headers with performer intake and qjet. I have a 195 degree tstat. When I warm up the truck it will get over half way from center on the stock gauge and then drops to about 1/4. I am assuming that when it is over half it is a about 195 or a little higher. That would mean I am running well under 195 under normal driving conditions. I don't have a temp gauge hooked up yet but it seems reasonable that it is running very cool and is probably hurting my performance and mileage. I don't think a higher temp tstat would make any difference in cruise temp. Timing is at 36 all in at 2800. Is there a good way to make this run a little hotter to help fuel burn, power and mileage.
The word "assume" means an---makes an "a s s-of-you-and-me". I suggest before you go digging in the engine, that you install a temp gauge with numbers instead of GM's idea that an inch long bar equals "normal".
Ditto on the temp gauge. Until you get one you'll never know for sure.
That's why they call them "idiot gauges".
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