I agree! Tuning a six pack can be a little bit of a mystery. More so when you're at 8000'.
I did some "Real Research," this past year and broke out the slide rule to determine -
1.) What the majority of everyone else was running on their jetting for both the inboards and outboards at 2500' or lower.
2.) Subtracted one jet size per 2000' in elevation.
and
3.) Determined vac at this elevation so to make the necessary selection on the power valve.
Conclusion: I installed a pair of 60 jets on the inboard and staggered jetting on the outs. No detonation. No pop. No hesitation. No overheating. All 600 (minus a few at this elevation) working like a charm!
I am going to drop my power valve down a notch, this winter, to a 2.5 since I'm pulling a 5 on the vac gauge.
Another thing about my research is the number of misnomers that are out there. Scary if you know a few things about carbs. Which, I'm sure, makes the six pack a little unpopular with the people. Meh!
Ok! Back to my main question - since I'm back from my Sunday drive and like my puter more than some dinky smart phone - thermostats! Love em or hate em, you got to have em. The thing that is screwed up in my head was the builder's last word to me as the ink was drying on the check - "Be sure to run a 195 stat." I jump on the net and read that most all my 440 brothers and sisters are running a 195 stat. It's like some sort of religion! As I mentioned before, "My ride doesn't over heat." Thankfully! But once it hits 195 (mechnical gauge) and goes another, Mmmmmmm-mmmmm- 30 to 50 miles, the fuel line gets hot, the cheap ethanol fuel perks and then I have to sit and wait it out - With a few people stopping and asking if I need help and adding "What a beautiful car!" Really? I find it embarrassing that it's not running!!!
So!
The only thing, I am getting out of this, is to run a cooler engine (Other than installing a fuel line insulator). Just want to make sure - with the echos of builder and all those 440 gurus - that I'm not screwing things up by running a 180 stat. Namely, premature wear on the sliding parts (or anything else I'm blind to).
That's it!
Thanks!