Is one of the engines hooked up to the hot water heater or a cabin heater? Have you verified the actual temperature with a hand held laser thermometer?
Dan
Guess I should have given more info on first post. No, no hot water heater or cabin heater connection on either engine.
Yes, shot the port engine at about 167 degrees with laser therm, which is within 5 degrees of console gauge. Stbd engine shots with laser therm at 189 which is also roughly within 5 degrees on console gauge.
For a little background info: engines are on a Trojan 44 MY which I have had only about a year. There were many problems with the boat when I boat her, which would aloow getting up on a plane because of a seriously quirky trim tab problem. Recently, had most problems resolved in the yard( trim tabs, new risers/manifolds, clean running gear and bottom), and have gotten the thing up on a plane, but within 5 mins or less, that Stbd engine temp gauge gets up in the 180 area, so I've been getting chicken and pull her back and cruised around in the 1700 rpm range (don't need to be burning 32 gph anyways). Still I'd like to be able to know I could cruise longer distance at planning speeds if I wanted to (or could afford to) without worrying if I am doing any damage from higher temps.
Previous owner had his own mechanic with whom I had some dealings post-purchase. He appeared a bit of a muscle car man in background, and I doubt really a marine mechanic. Previously I can tell from reciepts he used a good deal of NAPA autoparts on the engines. And yes, there was record he had chaged the port engine with a 165 degree thermostat (no name brand given) back in 2000 and the Stbd engine got a new 160 degree thermostat back in 1999 (also no name brand in records). It may be he incorrectly recorded his repairs.
I did a little research last night from some manuals. Seems these fresh water cooled engines were supposed to run with the 180 degree thermostats, and engine temps may get up to 200 degrees. Am I correct? It just strikes me as being hot, but I guess it is not.
Maybe because of the age since last change, it is just time to change both and be assured the correct thermostats are in both engines once and for all. Any comments on using the NAPA thermostats vs. the marine versions I saw on
http://hurrikain.com/
Thanks
Sean