72 350 and TH350 troubleshooting?

[kna4977]

New to me 72 350 temperature gauge goes higher than my comfort level. Pretty much sits on the very last line of normal or on H. Check temps at thermostat housing and various other places and it’s in the 190s to low 200s running. Turn off and it goes up to around 210-220 range. Any ideas it’s anxiety inducing to have a gauge that seems to keep going up. Should I swap the thermostat for a 160 or 180 or ?

Transmission seems to take too long like a couple of seconds to go into reverse. Anything I can do outside of an overhaul to help this? Seems to shift fine otherwise and goes into forward gears normally.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Try using a 180 therm. Replace the temp. sending unit while you have it drained. It sounds like the gauge is off some.
Change the fluid & filter. If it is really raunchy drain it again after you run awhile. It has a drain plug on the pan.

George

[RustyPile]

I agree with others, but something about the gauge that you're not understanding.. When the ignition switch is turned off, all power is removed from the gauge. What the gauge does then is of no consequences and is not an indication of coolant temperature.. The needle is simply seeking a "comfortable place" to rest...