On the 230hp IO-540 (C-182) i tend to leave the cowl flaps closed while getting up to temperature - every bit helps.
And on the topic of piston engine temperatures i've got a question re: shock cooling. I have no experience with water-cooled engines. On descent i tend to close the throttle and give the mixture a twist every 1000' or so to minimise any sudden temp changes. Am i right in saying this is unnecessary in water-cooled engines - could someone explain?
Rob.