markn

Update: Did not have 170 degree so went with 180 degree. Installed and temp rose to 151, so am assuming when under load should be good. Only concern I have is if the guage is accurate and will be checking output ohms on temp sensor in the next day or two. My sincere thanks to all you guys for the help. Best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and an happy, healthy and prosperous Covid free New Year.

OK gentlemen of much greater experience and mechanical knowledge than me....I am off to buy a 170 degree thermostat....and while I am in there, will take a close look at the housing. Again, my thanks for the help!

@Jody_Seal Holy crap, I thought you were kidding about the by-pass getting enlarged. That can really occur? Engine was put in in 2016 so that would be a ton of corrosion in a short period of time, but I will sure take a look. Thanks.

Status update. Installed the new temp sensor and let engine run for a good 10 minutes.....130 degrees. Did ski before new temp sender installed and engine performed perfectly, but never read above 130 on guage. So new thermostat and new temp sender with no change. Maybe corrosion on the guage reducing signal. Will continue the cause. Thanks to all for the help and insight.

If you are "fairly open" to year/model, there is a 2006 Nautique 196 with 201 hours for $26,500. Convert to ZO for around $5-6k and you have a pretty darn good, low hour ZO slalom machine. (No affiliation)

@Clydesdale Thanks for your kind offer...but you are assuming I would know how to use them! Ha. If after the new temp sender installation the problem remains, I will take you up on your kind offer...as long as you agree to let me take you out for a set or two in gratitude....or at least a pntoon booze cruze.

@DW Was lucky the rotations were still correct despite the wrong belt installation. @Gloersen took your advice and removed the temp sender, cleaned with wire brush and brake cleaner. Cleaned all connectors and made certain fitting was tight, started boat......140 degrees. I have ordered a new sender from Nautique and it should arrive Tuesday. Will install and report back. Sincerely appreciate all the technical expertise on this site from you guys. I am not much of a mechanic....I just want to ski!

Thanks again to all who are willing to help with this issue. Update: In checking water flow (I am ashamed to say) one issue was the belt was on incorrectly. Before correcting belt configuration, could not get temp above 131 this morning...even when closing water inlet valve for a minute. Changed belt orientation and temp on guage read 140 and remained. Drove the boat to add heat. Temp guage remained at 140 steady. After shutting off and restarting, temp went straight to 140 and remained steady. Have owned the boat since 2004, but a new engine and tranny went in in 2016 and it did run around 160. Based on all the help and input, it appears the temp sensor is bad and reading 20 degrees below actual? I assume the belt orientation was also an contirbuting issue...dang, what a gomer.

@kurtis500 legit questions....particularly with my mechanical skills! I replaced one thermostat carefully reinstalling just like the old one. A pcm certified mechanic installed the most recent one, so I have to assume it was installed correctly. I intend to check manual and verify flow direction/orientation. Thanks again for all the info and suggestions.

OK, just returned from skiing. Started boat and warmed up to 131 degrees. Skied 10 passes at 34 mph. Temp never read above 131. Turned off boat while my wife got ready to ski. Started and temp went to 160 degrees. Skied and drove home.....back down to 131 and once in the boat house, lifted motor box and I could put my hands on the mainfolds. After all that run time, I could hold my hands on it. Did try to shoot the temp sensor and it read 140 at the probe. Water temp in lake has cooled to about 60 degrees surface temp. In the summer, it ran about 145 to 154 tops. Do I need yet another thermostat? Maybe go to 170? @DW thanks for the insight on the tire temp measuring. Ball of Spray is a veritable font of info!

@Jody_Seal Now that I have for checking tire temps at the track. Great I dea. Will check it out today......and check the temp of my next bottle of Syrah or Malbec or Dogfish Head ale. Thanks.

@Gloersen Dang, this is one sharp group of engineers/mechanics and skiers. Thanks for the info on the sending unit. Of course, you are assuming I have an Ohm meter....sounds like a need to go buy one! Thanks again to all for the help. You guys are the best.

@dvskier yes sir, you are right, Jody does know what he is talking about...awesome mechanic and not too shabby in the driving department either!! Yes, with both thermostat replacements, the housing was cleaned and new gasket installed. @Gloersen we checked the guage vs. the computer and they were within 3 degrees, so assume the sending unit is ok. Thanks to all you guys for the responses and help. Hope I am not making too much of this. Just want to take care of this old 196...she is a beast and make it last another year or two.

@Jody_Seal thanks for the response. I have replaced the thermostat twice with the same result. Possible to have 2 bad thermostats 3 months apart?

It is my understanding it is hard on an engine to run too cool as well as too hot. I realize the computer compensates for operating temps as it warms up, but 30 degrees below normal operting temps does not seem right. Nothing about which to be concerned? Thanks again for the input.

Have an Excaliber Chevy in my 196. Has 450 hours on it. Typically let the engine warm up to about 130 before driving to the course. (about a 5 minute run). If we immediately start skiing, the temp never goes above 145 degrees. After skiing, we shut off the engine and after restart, she goes up to 155 degrees. I put in a new thermostat....same result. Had an on water service call with new plugs, distributor, fluids and another new thermostat. Service guy's computer showed a 3 degree delta from gauge/computer. Went out today....never got above 130 degrees. Mechanic was baffled, but I am betting a fellow baller, much more mechanically inclined than me, might have some insight. Thanks for the help and best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and happy, HEALTHY, and prosperous New Year.

Managed a set on Minnehaha, Clermont, FL today. Air temp 64, and a pretty hefty north wind.

Managed another set on Lake Minnehaha in Clermont, FL this morning at 8:00 AM.

Winds finally tapered off and finally got to ski on my lake today. Love to ski at Swiss, but nothng better than skiing you own site with your wife at the helm. Dang am I thankful!

@Horton heck yes I do. I still have my obrien black and gold Mapple, my t-1 , but sadly broke my t-3. I will mount up some binders and give the AM-33 a rip. Need to find my old ski diaries to get measurements! Happy Thanksgiving to you and the entire ball of spray family!

First time on the hollow Mapple AM-33 was just amazing. It was a whole new level. Have to admit, every time I got a new Mapple designed ski, they became my favorite.

When we moved, I pulled our Nautique, full of all water equipment, from Carmel, Indiana to Clermont, Fl with a Ford Explorer rated at 3500 lb. capacity. Hate to confess, but I used the bumper hitch...not very smart, but it worked. There are a few "hills" called the Smokies between Indiana and Florida. No trouble at all. Still have that old 1996 "Exploder".

Simple, quick test. If it is calcium carbonate (hard water that evaporated to dryness and accummulated) if you apply an acidic solution (muriatic acid, phos-acid which is lime away) and it "dissolves or fizzes or bubbles, then it is a mineral salt. If you apply an alkaline solution (caustic) and it comes off, if is organic. Acids do not clean organics and caustic solutions do not clean mineral salts. Based on the pics, it is simply calcium carbonate. Lime Away will dissolve it easily. Just give it a good rinse after cleaning. Phosphoric acid is a pretty weak acid and will not hurt the Gelcoat. Good luck.

Despite Hurricane/Tropical storm Eta, Swiss was still skiable today! Still warm enough to ski with a vest.

I have the opportunity to regularly ski behind the driver who pulled Open men at the Swiss Pro open. Just as a reference, they were using the SurePath. The driver pulled "all green" in the entire second round and the finals,every pass, and I did not hear one complaint about the driving. I think a truly skilled driver can keep the boat "in the green" (with narrow tolerances) and still make it feel good for the skier. His driving is amazing....second only to my wife's.....but she "gives me a little boat".