The warmest the thermostat in my car ever indicates is about ~170 degrees.




It usually sits right there, around the 160 degree mark and I can hear the fans kick in to cool it every time it hits 170. This doesn't really bother me much in the summer, but now that its cold I think its affecting the heater. I already flushed the heater core, which helped a little, but its still not 100%.

I know that these cars are supposed to operate at around 185 or 190, right? But if its just the thermostat, why would the fans be kicking in?

 

what year is your car? It sounds like the guage is just wrong.

 

210* is the text-book operating temperature. (stock T-Stat opens at ~180*) The 98 F-Cars are the only ones that have an actual 'functioning' temp gauge. Do you have a 160* stat installed and tuned for it? If so, this could be why. Combined with cold winter ambient temps.

 

Its a 98 and it had the stock thermostat in it. I replaced the thermostat with a stock replacement and it still indicates the same temperature. I've never had it tuned to run at 160.

 

^ Only other way to tell is to shoot the top of the Stat housing with an IR Thermometer to give you an idea of what the temp might me.

 

That's where mine runs all the time with my 180 degree Thermostat. I had a 160 a LONG time ago and it wouldn't get off the 160 degree mark on the guage. It really looks like you've got an aftermarket Thermostat installed, or it's stuck open.

 

mine runs cool to just a little below the first line. thats just because of my ss hood gets air in it when i drive. if you wanna know if it works or not let it idle for 15mins and see if it goes up