My motor runs below the N on the temp gauge. I know these gauges suck but could this be to cool and cause the performance to not be there. Ive only owned this rig for about 2 months and have no comparison. Im thinking the thermostat is like a 165. what should it be using everything is stock on the engine.

Thanks for anyones help

later

 

180. Anything lower will promote premature of the internal engine parts.

 

With an 88 you probably have EFI and with an EFI motor standard thermostat is a 195 degree anything lower and the computer thinks the truck is cold and will run in a cold loop. With this you will burn more gas and have poorer performance you might look at your tail pipe and see if you have blackish soot if you do then you are running to rich like in cold mode. One way to check is to but a cheap thermometer from a parts store and put on in the top of the radiator when the truck is running and this will tell you what temp your truck is running at. Hope this helps and Good Luck,

Rick
86 302 EFI, bored 60 over, AOD,
Headman Headers, Flowmaster 40 series,
2 inch dual exhaust, MSD ignition

 

Put a piece of card board in front of 1/2 of your radiator.See if this helps.Mine does the same thing with a chip and 160 thermostat.