Thermostat not working ?, Engine running hot Options

[North Coast Jim]

Drove about 50 miles at ambient temps of 90 degrees. All flat terrain. Turnpike driving at 75 mph. Engine temp continued to rise approaching red zone. Slowed down and over time temps stabilized. Still high in my estimation. I only have the temp gauge in the console. The std gauge.

Took a picture of the thermostat cable and flap connection when I got back home. Reviewed it with a cold engine and compared. The flap control isn't moving. Looks like thermostat is not working as all other components work and are not bound up. This is a hard to find part. Any suggestions for where to go and purchase.

Lastly I've not yet got around to assembling the heat control in the car. I don't have the flaps on either side at the bottom of the blower housing. Neither do I have the lower heat shields installed. I do have the cylinder shields installed on the bottom. Do these components effect engine cooling ??

Appreciate any and all help. Want to get this fixed before Octeenerfest.

[iankarr]

I’d put the engine tins in place. They all work together as a system. Are the rubber engine tin seals installed correctly? Do you know if the top of the oil cooler is clean? And/or if the cooler itself isn’t gummed up? If your timing is on and everything else check out, it could also be the sender or gauge. Check the engine case with an infrared thermometer when hot to get a sense of the actual temp...

[North Coast Jim]

I’d put the engine tins in place. They all work together as a system. Are the rubber engine tin seals installed correctly? Do you know if the top of the oil cooler is clean? And/or if the cooler itself isn’t gummed up? If your timing is on and everything else check out, it could also be the sender or gauge. Check the engine case with an infrared thermometer when hot to get a sense of the actual temp...

Engine was rebuilt 2 years ago and now have 1500 miles on it. Oil cooler was new. I do have a few oil leaks which will be addressed when I get back from Octeenerfest. The Melling oil pump leaks at the peripehery. Gasket is paper thin. Oil temp sending unit at bottom of the case also leaks, but don't they all. Plan on doing the billet aluminum replacement.

Rubber around tins needs some repositioning. It is intact completely around the engine bay. Timing is at 31 degrees BTDC.

I did check the heads around the exhaust on the forward cylinders. Was surprised to find the temp on the pass side 50 degrees hotter than on the drivers side. Is this normal ??