Too Hot?

Completely normal. In a Mondial, even a 3.2, you might see even hotter coolant temps in extremely hot weather (like we have here in Houston). I know this from experience in multiple Mondials.

 

Like Michael said, thats normal. Out on the highway on a cooler day it might come down to just below the 195 mark but what you have is fine.

Ferrari thermostats with age open sooner and having it run below the middle mark is common but where it is is fine.

 

Granted, I don't trust Italian electrics... we have replacement boards and connectors for the 3x8/Mondial's for a reason.

My 1984 308 QV "ran hotter" via the gauge and everyone told me the same thing.. "It's good, don't worry about it". The car had good compression, no head gasket leakage, no air in the coolant system (broke the bleed knob and had to source a new one... that was a pain). It was at the half-way point mostly and higher on hotter days, but it never got "screaming" hot, maybe hit the 3/4 line once, sitting still in 95+ degree weather... maybe.

That said, my Mondial 3.2 DOES have a new board and, while there are a few other minor things I attribute to bad gauges, My car doesn't get much over half... maybe up to where the OP posted on a really hot day.

My 308 was my first Ferrari, every little thing that might be a slight bit off, it was like "oh no, what's that, is that right, does it have to be fixed, will it cost a alot". On my Mondi 3.2, I've gotten a bunch done and I know it's fairly reliable, so I just drive it (admittedly the thread about the gear selector "freezing" after driving 150 to 200 miles does make me concerned since I know I need a new clutch).

Drive it and keep an eye on it (not a paranoid eye, just keep checking it). You see it sky rocket OR the car's not running right OR smoke/steam, stop... otherwise, enjoy the drive.

BTW ... same thing with the oil pressure.

James

 

That same tech told Matt that he buys Mondial wiring harnesses to fix 328s because he can pick them up "for about $60." I've been looking ever since, and even reached out to find those $60 harnesses. Crickets......YouTube drama.

 

yeh, the good old times !

 

Some data points from my 3.0 Euro car with 2 radiator fans, standard coolant, 0.8bar cap, full AC.
The highest values recorded inside a tunnel (higher temps than outside) going uphill at around 50mph, outside air temp 35°C/95°F:

Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

Later on at the airport, just off the highway, in a traffic jam, sitting idling, OAT 36°C/96°F:

Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

I can't get the engine hotter than that driving on public roads.

 

Hugh - the thermostat only decides when it starts to guide water to the radiator during the warm-up process. Once it open, it's open regardless of its temperature rating. The warm-operating temperature of the engine isn't affected by it.

My engine's thermostat is, based on its looks, the original UK delivery unit:

Image Unavailable, Please Login

The milage is related to me using it daily, weather permitting; 95k of those miles were done by me. It's a good car overall.