Thermostat- Which Really Is Better?

[Cadaverlier]

I recently have been working on two different Cavaliers, a '95 and a '97. I noticed that on the older '95 ( both 2.2 engine ) the thermostat is located in a regular position on the head right where the coolant comes out of the engine and into the radiator. The newer '97 on the other hand has the thermostat where the coolant goes back in after the radiator which seems totally irregular. If the thermostat is where the coolant comes out, right at the hottest point then it would regulate everything at the hottest point and everything should be cooler than that point. With the regulating thermostat located after the radiator then the whole radiator would have to run as hot as or hotter than the thermostat setting and the hot point where it come out of the head would have to be .....who knows how hot? I am just trying to figure why they would change it to such a configuration. It doesn't seem to make sense if you are trying to make a heat problem car hold up better by making it even hotter. Or is it a matter of making the water going back in to the engine regulated better to prevent shocking it with too cold of water. In certain ways they both seem to make some sense but what I would like to know is which way really is better for a 2.2 motor?

[Luminous]

I wish someone with the knowledge would answer this; seems like a great question to me.