I think I heard a few people 96+ running 180 T-stat.. wat does it say on your temp gauge? Mine has been under the first mark before 90C.. so it says that is bout 165~171F ?? That don't sound right to me.. my question is are 180 T-stat suppose to START opening @ 180? Or be fully open @ 180?? I"m planning on switchin to 195 for the winter so the oil temp wouldn't get as cold from the winter air then switchin back to 180 in summer.. but I don't know whether my 180 is shot or not..

I think the t-stat'* rating is at fully open, but I'm not sure. There have been a lot of posts on here with different people asking about "correct" operating temps, but really there'* some variance from car to car. Mine (with a 180*) runs at 180-185 when cruising on the highway, and gets closer to 195 or 200 in town. I've seen people who run over 200 (usually 205-215) and their cars are fine, and I'm almost positive there are a few others who run a little lower like you. Are you seeing those temps all the time, or just on the highway?

I see those all the time.. it runs close to the 90C mark which I'm assuming is 195F then it opens.. and drops pretty quick down.. sometimes it will drop between that mark I mentioned above the one below it.. then slowly regain and back to bout the same.. under the 3/8 mark.. only when I see it in rush hour stop and go or sitting there idleing for a long time that it will slowly build back up and if I let it idle long enough it will go over the center mark.. then either the fan comes on or I start driving.. it just drops in bout 2 min. back to where it is.

yea.. I did try a search and had too many hits.. so I thought I'd start a new one and see what people think. humm.. I wonder if I can edit a poll here..

If the crazy GM gauge was somewhat more accurate I could tell you for sure. My guess is the gauge is pointing to the 160-80*F mark, cant say for sure without a scan though.

Thanks for letting me vote as I don't have a guage in my car. But my guess would be that the a 180 Thermostat STARTS to open up at 180 degrees and is fully open by around 195. Personally I enjoy the warm comforts of the 195 degree thermo.

So right now it'* still in limbo then.. if I Remember correctly.. when I originally bought the 180 T-stat.. it was like wat ol'timer says.. but now it'* reading on the 3/8'* mark now.. where'* your gauge say SmellPerv?? Or is your bouncing all over the place?

Well in this cold weather(40*F +/- a few degrees) and cruising on the higway at 65mph it'* a little bit over halfway between 100-200*F. In town it will go up a little more, I'd guess ~170*F. And I let my car warm up each morning 5-10 minutes.

The guage in my 99 hangs right at 165 or so in town and on the highway. I've only seen it get up to 195-205 one time since installed (installed in May) and that was stopped in traffic on the highway. Overall...mine'* pretty consistant.

Thanx Vital.. so I know I'm not the only one gettin that kinda readings.

Smellperv.. a lil confused bra.. between 100 and 200F? err.. you mean from cold start? If you're refering to after being warmed up and all.. I think you may have a stuck open T-stat of a woman gauge * works when she feels like it.. hahaha.. ducts for cover.. jokes ladies.. ** if it went that low down to 100F

But you also stated a lil bit over halfway so the middle mark is 90C on mine which comes to 194F.. so after being warmed up and all.. you're usually getting 194F+ ?? Thats according to your funky gauge ??