Ok, I don't get what is goin on with my car.Was about to redo my cooling system,but am really short on $$ right now. But I started my car today and let the thing run for like 5min. The temp gauge was saying the motor was at 210, but yet I was able to put my hands on the valve covers. I thought at 210 it'd hurt like %&%# if I were to put my hands on my valve covers. Would this mean that my temp gauge or thermostat are junk? The motor didn't seem very hot in comparison to what it was sayin on the temp gauge.Ideas?

How about a little more info. What degree thermostat is in the car? Where is the sending unit tied in - intake or head? Was the upper radiator hose hot?

I believe it's around a 185 degree thermostat. The sending unit I believe is located in the intake. And the upper radiator hose was not very hot, I could grab it no problem.

In sealing the sending unit, there may be too much sealant about the threads and/or a poor ground connection of the intake to cylinder heads.

Any one of these poor ground return can upset a temp gauge reading.

Another problem may be the wrong sending unit for the gauge.

A hot top hose can be grabbed, but, the grip lasts for maybe a second or two, if hot.

To verify your guage, (cold engine!!) take off the rad cap and stick a meat thermometer in. fire it up, and make sure your guage matches it.