simplified question
 

How do you adjust the thermostat?

From the factory manual:

"Push throttle flaps into closing position and tighten cable control."

thanks... Was kind hoping for some sort of "calibrated" approach taking into account the ambient temperature... The Thermostat may as well be an on/off switch...

Agreed, it is seriously unscientific. When I rebuilt my engine last winter, the thing moved considerably just based on the change in ambient temp in my garage over about an hour. That just added to the second-guessing I was already doing . . .

I swear on a cool day my engine runs too cold...straight 30w allows for a little too much valve train noise...get it good and hot and it goes away...