Ok, how hot is too hot? I know you want to stay out of the red, but I've seen posts about upper intake problems related to heat. My Bonne was running great with my new 180 tstat. The other day my wife drove it to a doctor'* appointment and on the way back, the lower radiator hose let go..... I changed the hose and refilled my coolant. Everything seems ok, but now my temp goes over 200 when I'm at low speed, it never used to. I saw a couple of posts from Billbost about the fans not kicking on until 215 so I'm gonna check that today. Should I get the system flushed?

When you changed the lower radiator hose did you allow the air out of the system by taking out the brass screw in the top of the upper radiator hose water neck on the engine?

You may have an air bubble trapped in there that means you are actually a little low on coolant.

When I do anything coolant related and I'm ready to refill it. I park on as much of a level surface as possible. Take out the brass screw and slowly fill through the radiator cap until I have a solid flow of coolant out that screw hole. Replace screw, top off rad replace rad cap. Top off overflow to the full cold mark. Check back on it after a good little drive where it'* been up to temp.

Honestly I wouldn't be worried about 200, especially if you were sitting still in traffic. Worth looking into if it didn't get up that high before, though

No, I didn't know about the screw thing... Should I take the screw now and check it? It'* full from what I can tell, but an air bubble is possible.

Make sure it is cold. Then pull the rad cap, then the screw. If it'* full you will see a steady amount come out the hole. If you have an air bubble you'll see that as well.

Once it'* steady, put the screw back in, top off the rad and close that up. Easy to do and check. I'd double check it.

Thanks Bill, I'll give it a shot.