From my experience on my truck the only time it gets over 185 is sitting in traffic on a warm day. then once it goes over 190 the fan cools it down very fast. Cruising it runs right around 170 at the most. in the last 2 months the fan has come on maybe 10 times at the most. just from my experience.

 

Exactly...I don't know why there's all the confusion surrounding thermostats. They don't change the temperature that the truck is ultimately going to run at...

 

Right,, The only exception is in cold weather,, your engine will run like crap with a real cold T-Stat. It will not allow an engine to reach proper operating temp.s for some time...
I run a 170* in the warm months and a 180* in the winter....

 

Not to be squabbler, but I have experienced the same results that sb306 has had.

I use the (Car Chip) to record up to five variables (out of about 50) one being the temperature, in the summer months in Houston 95+, any time when cruising above 35 mph the temp sits right at 170, now at stop and go traffic, the engine has gone go up to 195!!

I run this thermostat all year long, of course here in southeast Texas, we consider it cold any time it get below 80, and when it gets to be around 60, then it’s time for the thermos…

 

That temp isn't to crazy.......