had new thermostat installed by mechanic now 97 ranger 2.3 now it takes long to heat up and gas mileage is worse than before thermostat change,could 195 degree thermostat be cause.

 

A 195 is around the stock, the old might have been sticking closed a bit. The longer warm-up would cause a decrease in mileage sinc your running with the "choke" on, running in open loop.

 

If anything, it sounds like a colder thermostat has been installed. If you're willing to pull it apart there is typically a "195", "185", or "160" stamped somewhere on the thermostat itself. Only vehicles that rarely run on the street should use 160 degree thermostats.

 

It seems to be mankind's thing, to run a colder thermostat. What the best one is, we might find out shortly. You've got to have the proper temperature, but you are always trying to hold out as if heat was the enemy. Too much heat, is. But what is the proper one? All highway driving in Juno? All downtown driving in Miami?

*The factory thermostat is chosen to suit the needs of Mr.& Ms.Joe Average. Quite possibly not you.

 

If the factory gauge was the basis for changing a t-stat, well, they aren't too accurate even when they are working.

Hold on to the upper radiator hose...if it's hot, the t-stat is okay, but if a colder one was put in, that won't help.

 

Take today for instance. A friend says she's not getting any heat. Well, it's Michigan, and the temperature has been 1, lately. Poor lil Ranger's workin ot