I wanted to come back and thank all who have put together the great info in this thread. Since installing my Smartcraft gauge I have gone through 2 spring seasons, a fall and a winter. It is comforting to know what to do to properly warm the motor up. It is also scary to realize that I ran it for many years not knowing the damage I could have caused. In addition monitoring the gauge tipped me off to stuck thermostats that I was able to clear.
Once again - thanks to all of you.