Same here . normal days on lake Michigan for me, with no water stats, mercury oil thermostat, and crossovers, I have to run at 3500rpm for 15 minutes sometimes before I start getting oil temp.

Bring boat to loto, warmer water, and I have oil temp in a mile.

Its fun when you have SSM drives mounted high, some rough water, and 4500rpm burnouts getting on plane with cold engines. It is what it is though, and this is why all this needs to be considered when building the engine.

All this is really making me want to hurry up and install my oil thermostat.

Oil temps were 180 before I eased into throttle

Full Force, is that just some oil or carbon on the head between the #2 & #4 cylinders in the picture that you posted? It almost looks like the head gasket was blown between the two cylinders. Just asking and grasping at straws.

That's oil gasket was fine .

Did that too. Way to freakin long to get oil temp up. And water. Then run into water psi problems, then need to do water psi regulator.

2 Summer months they where okay.

Screw that. Put factory system with recirc pump back on and never looked back.

Bingo.......

What is the water temp this time of year?

Saturday Erie, off Marblehead was 61 degrees.

What is a good marine guide clearance.... ?