3.2 operating temp
 

What temps do those of you with 3.2 motors normally see during driving. Just had a new gauge put in but using the old sender. Previous gauge would read 180-200, 220 at the high end in the desert heat. The new gauge is showing about 240, fairly constant.

Any insights are welcome

Double check with a hand held infrared, cheap and effective

There are some helpful threads on this forum around typical air cooled oil temps. My 87 hangs out around the 2nd hash mark, 90 degrees C. On a warm day in NEO 80 plus degrees ambient the oil temp gauge will indicate 194-210 F. It may climb a bit higher with prolonged idle, but will drop back once on the move.

On a day like today > 90 deg F ambient, in stop and go traffic, it goes all the way up to maybe 1mm below the third line, which, according to this thread, is 120 deg C.

Did you rate the new meter? Put the sender in boiling water and check the meter. Should be a half a tick above the 210° line.

If it not, adust the indicating needle until it does.