Well after some sealing issues, a cracked heater valve, and a bad upper radiator hose. I was able to get my hands on a pressure tester and a IR temp gun. I started it up, and let it run, the new guage isnt perfect but i let it burp and drove it. its not idling around 215 and on the highway im at like 195 - 200 with the a/c on or off. Seems like im good to go.

Thanks again for the help mike your the man

Oh and i put a 180 tstat in it. so with the IR gun it shows like 175 to 195 on the hoses and tstat housing

 

With your new setup including the 180 stat (I wish you'd have used a 195) your ideling at 215 degrees. Hmmm... Before we pat our selves on the back I hate to say it but it shouldn't be that high. You have a flow issue somewhere because on the highway with the air ramming through the radiator you are ok. The fact that it's better now is good, but I'm afraid we're somewhat masking the issue with that 180 stat.
It would be nice to see if you could hold these temps with a 195 stat.
With the 180 stat you will burn more fuel, dump more raw fuel through your Cat (shortening it's life) and pollute the environment. I sdon't know how you'd feel about putting a 195 stat in at this time but that is what I'd do and go from there.
Mike

 

I think im going to stick with a 180 im really done messing with it, and like i said thats what the guage was reading, at idle after a drive i put the IR temp gun on the tstat housing and hoses and they were both at 179 - 185 and consistant. I think either the guage is off or maybe the temp is a little different at the back of the head where the sender is. As for the cat if it becomes a problem thats when ill do an exhaust with a high flow cat.

In my old car ( 2000 GTP ) which i recently sold to my sister, im running a 160 tstat, with 2 heat ranges colder plugs, a cold air and 3in DP/ exhaust with no cat ( running a smaller pulley, these were supporting mods ). the guage on that reads like 180 at normal temp, but with an IR gun it shows right around 160. I figure the guages in most cars are usually alittle off.

Im happy right now, ill deal with the cat when the day comes i guess.

 

Ok, so your not at 215 at idle? If that's the case I bet you could easily run the 195 stat and be ok. From the ranges you noted above I think the 195 would do it. That would put you around normal. Remember with the IR gauge the whole stat needs to heat up to temp, so there is most likely a lag between that and your gauge. You can shoot it in a few different places including the hoses to verify this. Up to you...
mike