engine too cool?

[The Hound]

put in new rad but the PO babied the old one by lowering the thermostat, and # on cap now around town drivin I only get to top of cold line this ok or do I need to change thermos and cap?

[ January 19, 2004, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: The Hound ]

[tgreese]

If you are running a stock engine (all the stock emission control devices), they won't reach their normal operating state (ie proper spark advance) until 160 or 190 degrees. Your engine should run better at the temperature its designed to run at (I would guess 195F).

[The Hound]

missing 1/2 emissions if not all no smog pump no cat

[The Anti-Chrysler]

You'll still get better performance with a warmer engine. It's not like a fuel injected motor where the computer enriches the fuel mixture for the colder engine temperature. I would recommend at least a 180 degree thermostat, your OEM would have been 195.

[The Hound]

what about the cap think its a 7 or 12#

[The Anti-Chrysler]

I think a 12# is what would be stock. A 7# might fill the recovery tank too quickly or overflow. You might as well get the right cap while you're there. There's no benefit to running the motor colder in this scenario.