Yes pull the t-stats, regardless of water temp your opti should be able to achieve 115- preferably 120 degrees at idle. Now when running youll see significantly lower lower temps in cooler/cold water due to the poppet valve taking over the cooling of the engine, not the t stats. Warranty does not cover removing and inspecting t-stats unless they are actually found to be faulty, but they need to be removed in order to be inspected. It really a very simple job to check the T-stats and soething as small as a grain of sand can keep them open enough to not allow the temp to come up to idle. You will need to back the two nuts off the fuel rails, but before doing so, make sure you relieve the pressure from the schrader valve on the side of the PORT fuel rail first, then the one on the top of the starboard side. just back the nuts off enough to allow enough room for the t stat cover to be removed once you get the bolts out. Inspect clean and re-assembly the thermostat. It is highly recommended to have two new gaskets on hand before doing this, ive pulled them many times and have not had a gasket tear yet, but it surely will happen when you dont have a spare. Actually heres the directions from Don, it is a very very simple process, just make sure you put some oil on the injector orings, and torque the rail rail properly. Its about a 10 minute job once you do it a few times.http://www.bbcboards.net/mercury-3-lite … stion.html
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