Heating Problems

[sho_taurus1111]

My 95 MTX SHO is running warmer than usual. Car has been sitting in front of my house for about 3-4 months (driven here and there around block to charge up battery) but mainly sitting and my lightning went into the dealer monday to get headgaskets done. So now I'm driving my SHO to work everyday. Monday day the SHO did fine then Monday night and Tuesday morning it started getting up into the "N" and "O" on gauge as for it's usually at the "A" or "L". I have a pretty nice sound system in it and every since I put the undrive pullies on couple years ago. If I crank it up for a little bit she will start to warm up but when I turn it down and keep driving she will cool right back down. I'm guessing the stereo's amps are slowing down the alternator in which slows down the water pump (Undrived) and causes car to warm up. But never past 1/2 half on gauge. So anyways Monday night I turned down system but never came back down stayed at "O" or above. Tuesday morning drove home from work and didn't turn stereo up at all and it got up to "R" and stayed. Also it's getting cold around here now so I'm running the heater while I drive. So Tuesday I changed oil and put a new Napa stock temp. thermastat in it. Threw some Redline Water Wet in it and filled it back up. Now it is really slow to heat up stays below "L". But if I drive the car hard for a minute or two then she starts to climb to "M" or above and stays. Also e fan comes on like normal and all the service stuff (waterpump, timing belt,belts, hoses and etc.) were down couple years ago at 116,000. I have 130,000 now. New radiator was installed at maybe 110,000. So I have temp. guns at work so tonight I took temp. readings on it and this is what I got. Bottom hose at the radiator temp. is 167-170 degrees, top hose at radiator is 177-180 and aluminium thermastat housing is around 140-150. Also radiator neck to the filler cap is around 150. What is wrong with this picture?

 

[HopefulSHO]

Wel...your stereo dosen't have anything to do with it. Your alternator and water pump are going to spin at *** in relation to the engine speed no matter what...Unless your belt is slipping - and you'd probably hear that.

Honestly it dosen't sound like there's much wrong! Fan isn't gonna kick on until over 200 degrees IIRC. Do you know if your fan is still functioning?

 

[sho_taurus1111]

Don't understand how thermastat housing is 140 and I think the top hose at the therm. housing was like 150 but by the time coolant gets to the radiator through top hose it's 180. So within 2 feet of hose temp. jumps 30 degrees? That isn't normal is it? Also why is therm. housing at 140? Cause it's aluminium I guess? Also if hose at therm. housing at 150 then the 195 or 197 (whatever stock is) thermastat shouldn't be open should it?

 

[sho_taurus1111]

Nevermind just did another reading with different gun. Everything looks normal - Therm housing 190, top hose both ends 186 and bottom hose 167. I guess that 1st gun shot a wider band and it was hitting other things near where I was pointing at. So I was getting false temp readings. I guess the other thermastat never worked right for years and finally went bad sitting in front of house. I did notice when I changed it the other gasket wasn't on right. It was like the themastat was metal on metal sitting against the block and the gasket was on outside of it between the housing and housing(neck). Thanks hopefulsho for your reply.