Help me understand this a little better.....

I replaced my thermostat from a 195 to 180 this past month when I replaced the UIM/LIM gaskets.
Now my heater works but it blows air much colder than before.
In the past I could set the ECC to 75 and it would warm the car up, now I need to keep it above 80 to get the same results. And if I set it to 85 it gets real warm and 90 is too darn hot.

Is this normal?

the heat for the isnide of the car is provided by the heater cor which is powere dby hot coolant flowing through it, cooler coolant means cooler air, alot of people are switching back to 195 for the winter, sctually

Even in AZ we get cold temps at night, this morning at 6am it was 27deg were I live.
I guess I can live with it for the 2 months, then the car will go to my Daughter in Orlando, I don't think it gets that cold there.

thanks for confirming what I thought was happening.

Nick. Next to the cigarette lighter in the dash is a little area with slits in the plastic. That is where your temp sensor for the ECC is located. Try and blow it out with some compressed air.

You maybe be surprised by how many dust bunnies come out. I followed this same advice (Mortehl too) and it works wonders when the sensor isn't insulated from the true temperature.

Thanks, I have wondered what that little area was for ever since I bought the car new.
I will try to give it a shot and post an update, thanks for the tip......

Just to second what Bill said, when I blew it out with the compressed air, a really large dust bunny flew out of the vent. Almost instantly I noticed a change in efficiency. You will notice it takes a bit warmer to heat up regardless because of the 180 tstat.. We're talking an extra minute or two. This morning in 18 degree F weather, I was good to go before I cleared the half inch of snow we received last night off my car.

Honestly the 180 heats just as quickly as the 195. Only reason I switched is the snow/ice buildup that happens on the windshield at least once a year. It'* brutal if you can't harness every degree of heat from the motor.

Is there any negative effect to the engine of the colder thermostat, or does everyone change back during the winter solely for cabin heat?

No effect or advantage to a NA engine. Your gas mileage suffers. I drive it stock. GM put a 195 in there for a reason.