Erratic Water Temps in '56 Y block

[JimNNN]

Have you ever thought about a decent quality mechanical gauge? Originality is nice, but if the engine is original, it would be nice to know precisely what the water temperature is so that the original engine doesn't get damaged. I kept the substandard factory electrical gauge for far too long. Before installing, you can put the sensor of a mechanical gauge in a pot of water that's just coming to a boil to find out exactly how accurate it is. You can also find out how exactly how much the engine is heating up on summer days after you shut the engine off. Things you can't easily discern with the original gauge. For years I thought the Y block in my '54 wagon was running somewhat hot. After I put in the mechanical gauge in I realized that it was actually running a bit cool and needed a new thermostat that closed better.