I hope thats the case, but why would the thermostat not let the motor heat up??? Maybe not to full temp but some temp. Just got off the phone with Keith Eickert help line said to put more holes in thermostat, thinks I may have air pocket problem?? Going to give it a try will let you know what happens........

Sounds like you got the same tech that works for all the performance parts companies. That makes no sense at all.

Well I took a new 145 thermostat and drilled 4 small holes in it, I now get 130 deg. water temp and 145 oil temp, thats with out an oil cooler. Seems that the holes worked or at least help. Dont know how but it is getting better. The milk in the oil is almost gone, I did change it but its not coming back and the little that was left seems to be going away.I know 145 oil temp is to low but till I can get water temp higher I dont know how to get the oil hotter. Like I said before I bypassed the cooler so even a thermostat controlled oil system
would not help. Im guessing.

Makes sense to me. You need a small amount of water to be allowed to circulate to prevent air pockets in the block. Reason cars dont need holes drilled in the thermostat, is because they have a bypass that routes coolant back into the circulating pump while the thermostat is closed. Circulation of coolant exists, it just isnt going thru the radiator. Mercury's system functions in a similar manner with the circulating pump on the front of the engine.

With a crossover, there is no way to keep water circulating thru the engine, to help bleed off any air pockets, without drilling holes in the thermostat. The main problem with these systems, when running a water thermostat, is maintaining an acceptable amount of water pressure in the engine block when the thermostat is closed. If the bypass on the crossover is too small, you will likely see high water psi in the block.

What type of thermostat are you running?

You can buy the high flow robert shaw thermostats with the holes drilled in them already. Stewart sells them, they drill three, 3/16 holes in them.

http://www.stewartcomponents.com/ind...&product_id=55

He's not trying to lower the temperature he trying to raise the temperature. Drilling holes in the thermostat is not going to raise the temperature of the engine it will lower the temperature. As did with his New thermostat. Drilling holes in a 140 thermostat got him 130 degree motor.

I just want to say thanks guys for the help, its great to have a place like this to turn to for some help.
Drilling the holes in the 140 thermostat got me to 130 with out the holes it was about 115 or 120 so the holes helped. I had a 165 thermostat with one hole in it still would not come above 120, guess it needed more bleed holes?????? The boat has a pressure relief
valve between the oil cooler and the crossover tube, is that the right spot for it?

You guys are not going to belive this.I called another well know marine high performance shop and told them what was going on with my water temps. told them I could not get water temp over 130 and oil over 140. They told me the water temp is to
HOT and the oil temp is perfect????? They said water temp should be 100deg. and oil temp 140 and they should never go higher. All there engines ( custom and full race ) are built and set up to run that way. I am thinking that is to cold for me I would like to see 140 to 150 water and 190 to 210 oil temp. Is that about right. I also have some thing that I have been thinking about trying to get my temps up and will try it over the weekend. Will let you guys know how it works.

I know many engine builders who have had success running temps like that.

I personally, do not run any water stats in my engines, but I do run oil stats. It does take a while to get some oil temp, but once warmed up , my oil temp stays around 190ish. Water temp, never comes off the peg.

Prior to this setup which has been the last 3 years, I had no oil thermostats, or water stats. It was rare to get much oil temp at all on the gauge. The engines were setup this way, from 2005-2011. When I tore into them, the bearings looked like you can put them right back in the engine, and nothing showed any signs of abnormal wear. Sometimes, I'd get a little bit of milky foam on my breathers, but never anything in the oil, and looking into the valve covers, springs and rockers were clean and milk free always.

Not saying any of this is the right way, or wrong way, just saying whats worked for me over the years.

OIl temp is the most important with performance motors and things built a little loose.

I'm no Borgie (oil expert) but I've been told and have read and have had success with min oil temp of 180 and max of 220. That said, I'm fine with a little more oil temp than that max, but I am a nervous nellie with oil temp lower than that min.