I made a slight mistake on my last post.

I missed using One Word in my first sentence.

"OUTSIDE"

It's fixed now but changes the whole post......

I often look first at the outside temps when I am watching so as to have a reference as to where I am starting from overall.

Sorry bout that ..

SF

 

I just drove home from CC, in rain the temp gage read 176 to 182, driving at 75 mph in 48 degree ambient air temp.
In the winter mine takes 5 to 10 minutes to get to 180 degrees even when it's 25 degrees out !

 

Oh so 176 is "safe" to get down to? Just in my neck of the woods it has NEVER went below 180 so I was quite frightened to see it do so. You may be our mileage record holder (I am quickly catching up ) so I am quite sure I will set my new "uh oh" temp in my brain to 174

 

Why , I drive in smilage!

 

My thermostat opens about 5 degrees early and the car cruises around on slow roads in nice weather at about 178-180. I've seen it dip to 174 coasting downhill.
The engine heats up fast, rises typically at idle and the fan comes on at 217, but the engine cruises just a little cooler than it should for good emissions. I don't see it as a problem, but when the dexcool gets changed, so will the thermostat. It's probably a Brand-X.
All things considered my temp sensor could be off that much...
No worries.

 

Install a correct AC Delco stat, not a brand X

 

Absolutely.