Sure there is. If the engine heats it up to that.

 

As told to me by a Chrysler Training instructor, you can not go solely by what the gauge in the cluster is telling you, there are resistors build into the circuit to have the gauge read where it does through a wide range of temperatures just to keep the consumer worry free. Same goes for oil pressure gauges. Factory gauges are not accurate, they only tell the ok from the really bad in most cases.

 

I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do...and those little voices are screaming OEM OEM OEM OEM.

If that doesn't work...buy a new radiator!

 

Theres resistors in everything in your car. And yes thats true, but not true. They are rated so low(ohms) compared to the current it would have almost no effect on the current once it passes through that part.

 

If actual coolant temp (not what the factory idiot gauge says) is 210 in the middle of winter, you can bet you've got a plugged cooling system.

 

Or a overheating vehicle.

 

All I know is that I run a 180* in a 1990 and two 1992 Cherokee's. They make a world of difference in this Texas summer! I dont notice alot in the winter, but it will make a 5-10* diffrence when its a 100*+ outside.

 

+1000! Factory gauges, especially the coolant temp gauge, are "rigged by the factory" to display a very narrow amount of movement (under normal operating conditions) to keep the customer/owner happy (and somewhat uninformed). I've said in numerous posts that actual coolant temps yoyo(especially this time of year), as much as 40 maybe 50 degrees. It's normal (this time of year) but only an aftermarket gauge/digital scan tool will show the yoyo.

Case in point, my Mother drives a Buick Lesabre. It has a worthless factory coolant temp gauge that has a "C" on the left, an "H" on the right and some marks in between and the red needle runs dead in the middle a few minutes after cold engine start-up. It also has a Digital Information Center....GM calls it DIC, in the owners manual. One of the DIC digital displays is coolant temp. I've seen it momentarily display as high as 230F. It also displays a word under the numbers......that word (when it displayed 230F) was "NORMAL". Where's that red needle on the worthless factory idiot gauge????????.........right there in the middle, never budges from the middle and that's the way GM wants it.

 

It's nice to have this question "settled" once and for all...I know I feel better already.

 

Gives ya the warm fuzzies, doesn't it.

 

One last thing.

For those trying to "cool" their engine with a cooler thermostat, If your engine temperature goes much over the installed 195 rated thermostat (excess of 210), it would have done the same thing with a 180 rated thermostat installed. The thermostat opens at the rated temperature. If your cooling system cannot properly cool the engine, the engine temperature will climb no matter what thermostat is installed.

I'd leave the factory rated 195 thermostat installed. The PCM is programmed for maximum performance and emissions with the factory thermostat installed. Some built-in diagnostic self tests require the coolant temperature to reach a predetermined temperature value over a period of time. Be aware that a 180 thermostat may or may not fit within some intervals. So essentially, 180 is a waste of time/money, fuel, and will decrease throttle response.

 

The system (at least OBD-II) is analyzing exhaust and from that analysis the ECM is attempting to maintain a 14.7:1 air/fuel ratio under most driving conditions. It accomplishes this well before coolant temp reaches 180 or 195 or even 100 for that matter. At one point in the combustion process, temp inside the cylinder/combustion chamber approaches 2000F........O2 sensors don't start to function until they reach 600-650F, that's why they're heated and start the lean clean engine performance well before coolant reaches 180 or 195.

Geeeeez, I'm doomed, I run a 180F t-stat. Glad we got it settled once and for all........the 180F t-stat stays in our XJ. Our XJ runs like a top, has for the 8 mos we've had it, gets good gas mpg and has done this for 8 mos with a 180F t-stat installed. I've said it from the git go, the t-stat controls ONE thing, MINIMUM operating temp. I've also said, this time of year (summer time heat) a 180 will probably not run cooler than a 195 because of the dinky XJ rad. When ambient temps drop to say 85F and lower (9 mos out of the year) the engine will run cooler with a 180F t-stat vs a 195F t-stat. Our performance/economy and heater have been excellent using a 180F t-stat, no CELs, no problems. Would I recommend a 180F t-stat?....hell no, 195F is the way to go.

 

Heh. Y'all keep this up and I'll start a "What oil should I use?" thread.

Those usually are pretty cut and dried.....

 

Yep, u got that right, our 10+ year old Jeep owners manuals don't even show the current API SM motor oil. Does the manual show 0WXX or 5WXX vis oil or does it only refer down to 10WXX. Does this mean we're doomed? Maybe just me because I use a 180F t-stat and 5W30 motor oil instead of 20W50 Harley oil. LOL

 

It's six of one or a half dozen of another. They like to run at 210* anyway!