Have you verified your actual water temps compared to what YOUR gauge is saying?
I had one the high dollar Auto Meter mechanical water temp gauges read 40 F higher than the actual water temps where in the car, I found that out at the races when I stuck my hand on the radiator top when the Auto Meter gauge in the car was reading 140 F when the radiator was cool, not hot. I stuck my finger into the coolant circulating from the radiator cap opening and it was not hot, barely body temps Murphy hates us hot rodders and racers
AKA, when it doesn't make since there is usually a reason for that