Help with Cooling Issue Please

If the laser gun said the temp at the manifold was 210 but the gauge reads 230, you have a bad gauge. They should agree. Also, if you are running 210, that is not hot. That is pretty much ideal. 195-210 is the normal operating temperature for a 360. With the humidity in Florida, you need to make sure your engine does not run too cool or you will build up sludge in your crankcase. This will cause your engine to wear prematurely. The moisture that condenses in your engine from the atmosphere needs to boil off (remember it is pure water not coolant) and that can only be achieved with high enough temperatures. That is why it is important to run an engine (especially in high humidity areas) long enough to get to operating temperatures and why short hops actually kill an engines life. Talk with Don about this and I am sure he will agree.

I am sure Don put the proper coolant mixture in when he installed the engine for you, so your actual coolant boiling point is at least 235, probably higher, so at 210 you have nothing to worry about.