Thermostat and water pump

[03machstock]

So my water pump went and while I was at it I did the thermostat. Long story short, and after receiving wrong parts I was finally at the thermostat part of my process and asked napa to give me stock temp and what do you know, wrong part again. I didn't know that stock was 195 until I took mine apart and decided to put the 180 they gave me in because I was fed up with driving back and forth to the store. My temp gauge now reads low, as in from the bottom of the normal scale to not quite the middle. I also noticed that my oil pressure gauge now reads close to the top of the normal scale when in the gas decently, and around mid scale when at idle. Are both of these symptoms from my 180 degree thermostat? Is there any adverse affects to running like this? I will no longer be going back to this part store as this was the last straw down a long line of mistakes, and one of three mistakes that day alone! Truck is 88 ranger 2.9 with manual trans, 127,000 miles
Thanks,
Dan

 

[4.0B2]

you'll lose gas mileage...
it's gonna run rich
your heat won't be warm warm for winter...

I ran one this summer for a couple months in 100 degree weather just fine, but the moment it dropped to 70 degrees, My MPGs went from 17 to 14...till I put the 195 back in it.

it won't really "hurt" anything... just your wallet and keep you cold in the winter. I say go get a 195 and do it right.