Hi guys,
I just replaced the thermostat in my 1991 B250 with the 318 and was wondering where the temperature gauge should point. The old stat turned out to be a 160 and the gauge almost never moved in the past year I've driven the van.

With the 180 it is sitting at the first dash above C when warmed up and bumming around town. Is that about right?

Where should it sit when running down the highway?

For those who are going to change the thermostat in an old van, consider having a new stat housing available. I had to silicone the stat to the housing and silicone both sides of the gasket to get it to seal while I normally do not use silicone for anything. I also cut about 3/8" off the bolt that bumps against the AC compressor to aid in re-installation. I was able to R/R from the inside of the van using a short 1/2" wrench...it was much easier than expected but I had to do it twice because of the leak.

Cheers, Steve

 

The one wire temp sender on the intake manifold is for the gauge. It is a 5 $ part and should restore the correct range, Coolant will leak out during removal:

The 2 wire temp sensor on the intake manifold is for the computer. Consider replacing both at the same time, as this sensor and the 02 sensor have a large effect on AF ratio and economy.