Hey, with warm weather coming, and the last car having crazy HG issues, maybe I over worry a bit. But... what is the normal operating temperature range for these vehicles?

Currently, my engine is bone stock, including the thermostat.

In the city, my temp guage sits right about the 200*F mark. If I'm sitting for a while, it has hit the first tick or just a tiny bit more than that past 200, but thats about it. I know the stock thermostat is right at 195*, but when is the fan supposed to come on?

Next, I noticed when I turn on the AC, both fans come on. I thought on GM vehicles only 1 fan is supposed to come on? Maybe I wrong?

Anyways, I have a drilled 180* thermostat just sitting here. I just gotta find the time where I don't have to drive the car for a while so I can change it out. Looks super simple.

Thanks!

Mine (the 2000 SE) used to sit right at 200 stock. After the 180 t-stat, it sits just a tick or two less than that. It didn't change much. In my '98, there was a noticeable difference on the gauge before and after the t-stat.

Yeah, I've read that there really isn't much of a change on the guage cluster from just doing the 180 t stat, but it'* just preventative maintenance to me.

What temp does the fan turn on at?

I'm running the stock 195 t-stat and I sit a 200 all the time. I remember reading that the fans come on low at 215 and high at 225, I think.

Gotcha, then I guess I'm just worrying about nothing then. Thats what owning a car that is known for HG issues and overheating will do to you. I know I have nothing to worry about on this car(well, minus UIM and LIM, but thats gonna get replaced here in a month or so), but I still worry.

yeah i got a 180 in and i have a aeroforce gauge, Ive noticed that you can just sit there in traffic sometimes and it will climb past 200. Ive probably seen it at 217 a couple of times... thats with no AC on or heater on. it gets me worried a couple of times but I realized Im getting worried for nothing...

Heh, anyways, finally got around to installing it today. As I assumed 5 minute job.

I just pulled the top rad hose off, and let minimal coolant leak out. Obviously some came from the thermostat housing.

After I got the 180 in, put the hose back on(had to be re-adjusted a few times because it wasn't seated properly), I added water/dex mixture back to the overflow, turned on, and opened up the bleed screw. Truthfully, I really didn't get much air out, but then again, I didn't let a lot of coolant out either.

Drove it around the block, came back, opend the bleed screw, and it was just shooting dex, so I closed it up.

Anyways, just ran to Fedex to ship some stuff, while accelerating, the guage read right at the tick before 200 (simple calculations say 192, but I know that the guage is inaccurate). While coasting for about half mile, the needled went up slightly, but never to 200.

I'm assuming I got all the air out then? The Acura was super easy to tell, but these pesky GM cars (especially the 60* variants) are kinda hard to tell at times.

Thanks!

wait, do we have to bleed it out after we install? i was unaware of this.

Bleeding is recommended but I've never detected anything but pure coolant escaping from the bleeder screw each of the 3 times I've changed coolant. Gauge reads a tic under 200 stock, even on the hottest days.

- it never varies...once it gets up to temp, it stays there.