I was wondering how hot is too hot. Halfway? 2/3? It seems my car is running a little warmer since the weather heated up, wondering how high it can go without risk of overheating and blowing the engine. Thanks,

Justin

 

The regular stock guage is not very accurate from what I understand. Halfway is about right for it. The thermostat opens at 190F I believe.

 

On my 87 n/a it never gets to 1/2, even with the a/c on. Usually about 1/3 for me. Anything more than that, and it's time to start worrying. The more performance mods you add, the hotter the car will run, so keep that in mind. Part of the upgrade process should be a hi-cap radiator.

-JB

 

86-88 1/4
89-91 1/2

 

if i put in a thermostat that opens at say 170 or lower will that damage my car at all? will i lose performance?