New thermostat?

I've been noticing that my car rarely gets above the 190* line. From what I've been reading around here that seems kind of irregular especially since the stock thermostat turns on at 195*. So is there a way I can easily tell if the guy before replaced the thermostat by just looking?

from what everyone tells mel, the guages are pretty much dummy gauges...
reading hte same temp all the time.

Originally posted by teke184
from what everyone tells mel, the guages are pretty much dummy gauges...
reading hte same temp all the time.

Interesting... :think: I don't think the manufacturers can take that kind of risk, though... :no:

There's not really a good way to tell whether it has been changed or not without opening it and maybe checkiing the part # from the thermostat itself. :think:

If it has one marked on it... I don't remember if there's any difference in the way they look.

TS

Most thermostats have there operating temp. stamped on them somewhere.

And most GM gauge clusters will read the same within like 40 degrees, it was so average people wouldn't worry about variations of the gauge.

the 98 gauge was accurate though

Originally posted by red91tsiawd
the 98 gauge was accurate though

The correct word is that the guage was sensitive. It moved up and down but was not necessarily accurate.

Steve

mine runs 176 on a computer scanner, but show 210 degrees on my gauge. I do have a 160 therm, and my fans come on @ 176.;)

I was browsing ls1speed and saw they have a 160 and 180 degree thermostat which would you recommend also what else would help in conjunction with a lower thermostat? Anybody have the slp fan switch and a 160 thermostat? Does it cool the car down significantly? The thermostat is only 50 so regardless i'll prob buy it tyi

Please keep in mind that this is just my personal experience with the 160 therm. I installed one in my 98 Z and reprogramed the computer and no B/S my car slowed down like 3.5 tenths and 2 mph in the quarter. Now this was my experience and have not heard or asked anyone else, but I do know that if the car dosen't warm up it always stays in an open loop and the car will run rich "like driving in very cold temp". I then removed it and the car went faster than it ever had before. I would like any replies good or bad thanks guys.

open loop and closed loop has nothing to do with the thermostat temp, it has to do with the exhaust *or so i heard from a WHIZ on f-bodies (he works on them for a living)*

I am not understanding how the exhaust will effect the open/closed loop. I thought that in open loop the car ran like it had a choke and in closed loop it was up to operating temp. That is why I don't understand what the exhaust will do as it should be a constant temp after a few minutes of running. If possible please go more into depthabout this, as just like everyone else I am trying to get as much as possible out of what I have. Thanks for the help.