Temp gauge

[ohiojack]

I just got a 1987 Bronco 2 a few days ago, and found that the previous owner had taken out the thermostat. After I replaced it, the temp gauge would stay in about the middle area of the gauge. Does this sound right???

 

[4.0B2]

mine runs at running temp straight in the middle,



edit: mine is a 4.0 tho. shouldn't matter. running in the mid of the gauge should be fine

 

[Tedybear]

Depends on the heat range of the thermostat. With a 180' used in ours? The temp will hover just below or at the "N" in normal. (it's also normal for the temp to spike slightly higher when the engine is being warmed up....ours hits the opening range and then drops like a rock...once it opens and gets up to temp? It maintains within 1/8" needle sweep)

S-

edit: If you went with a 195' thermostat? You can expect normal to be probably around the middle

 

[ohiojack]

Thanks 4.0 b2

 

[4.0B2]

but tedybear is right, depends on the t-stat you used. mine is a 195 degree.

 

[ohiojack]

Yeah I have a 195 degree temp, got from NAPA. Seem to run ok, slight amount of valve tick at idle. I still have to replace the rear front leaf spring shackle and fix a exhaust problem. The collar rusted off on the passager side exhaust manifold.

 

[4.0B2]

my lifters tap... but at the price of those things, they can make all the music they want as long as they work.

but yeah 195 runs mid of the gauge, and that's where mine runs the best!

 

[adsm08]

my 87 runs right about the center of the gauge when it's working/running properly.

 

[The_Dealer]

i would use an aftermarket mechanical guage, i thought mine was running hot with an explorer radiator, so i installed a 180* tstat, still showed running hot. went to advance and bought a sunpro guage and it never gets higher then 190