**SOLVED**. So, first thanks to all for the help and info it is much appreciated. I'll make this quick, after noticing the guage acting squirrelly last night while out checking more things, I shut down for the night. This morning turned ignition to on and this time guage jumped right to 220! Wrang out wiring and found bad sending unit on the thermostat housing. New sending unit and reads smooth as glass right to around 160 and stays there. Verified temps at several places with thermal laser reader.
Steve