i dont really know much about my cooling system. i think the previous owner did somethin but im not sure. im just wondering if this sounds too hot or not. this reading is from an autometer not the stocker. should it be runnin cooler for a stock motor?
With a 180* my car normally runs about 185* or so while driving and up to about 195* is idling for a while. And yes if your radiator looks gunked up I would flush it.
have to call a psychic friend up - we dont know what is in there now to compare. some guys run a 160 and due to the lacking cooling system, they run at 210 in any sort of traffic.
to be sure, get a 180, cap and flush the system out decently. i would recommend a Mr Gasket 180 - nice unit for several reasons. hold one up to a parts store version and you will see why.
you can also pull the rad and have it tested. if playing with the cooling system, it is not a bad idea if you have doubts.
BTW, your temps do sound about perfect. i dont like to crest 205*, but iron heads can handle a lot more heat (i dont think as much as Ray III does, but a lot. LOL).