Stuart,
I checked out the temp using both the electronic meat thermometer and a laser thermometer. When the needle on the gauge is past the center line 180 degree mark, well onto the "0" of the "180" number, both read no hotter than 185 degrees!
I had thought that it being at that spot on the gauge indicated 190+. OOps! My mistake.
The anti-freeze temp was actually a somewhat cooler (like 177 degrees) than the radiator reading of 185, probably owing to it being taken right at the radiator filler opening.
My mechanic says with a 180 thermostat that 185 is just fine. and that if it gets to 190 momentarily while driving hard, that the time lag between the thermostat opening cool down and the gauge response can allow that to happen on old model pumps which dont move the volume of water like modern ones do, etc.
Stuart, what's the verdict? Am I in the clear, or is there more for me to obsess about?
Thanks,
Bart
