Which thermostat should i get?

[2crunk]

Im kinda confused as to which thermostat i should go with. Cooling fan works fine but when driving around town or at idle my car wants to heat up a little past normal, im gonna throw in a new thermostat to keep it a little cooler. Should i get a high temp therm or a lower temp?

[BigDanTheMan]

where do you live brother? from what i gather the 180 degree is the one to get. it offers slightly less than stock running temperatures and i guess the 160 is too cold. too cold of an engine will add extra wear on the cylinder walls. on the other hand if you live in baja california, maybe running extra cold might be to your benefit.

[2crunk]

Originally Posted by BigDanTheMan

where do you live brother?

Well im stationed in wyoming right now but going back to the heat of TX next year. even with the cool temperatures in wy it still acts like it wants to overheat.

[RBrandon]

a fellow Texan perhaps? Back on task: what type of motor does your car have and when was the last time you changed the water pump? Can you see anything that looks like a hard water deposit around the bleeder holes on the water pump? Coolant level and proper coolant mixture are all very important as well. My 93 5.0 ran hot for years even after a couple of water pumps and numerous thermostats, as well as a leaky heater core; and I finally replaced that nasty old lower radiator hose and she hasn't run hot or lost fluid since.