Thermostat opening. Is it 82 or 88 degrees?

[Stag>75]

I want to buy a housing from Kaiser. I know there are also some other historical related threads and I have read the many views.

I am in Melbourne Australia and I have a 2001 V6 75, I have the factory manual which says the opening temperature is 88 degrees, I have read through a thread where tests have been performed to verify that opening temperature of 88 degrees. I also have also read that the stamp on the plastic housing shows 82 degrees and a suggestion maybe that some people have experienced 82 degrees as the opening temperature.

So I thought I would check my on board diagnostics to see what temperature mine is running at, the rate of increase stops of 82, stays at 82/83 for while then increases a little it hovers around the early/mid 80's. It is winter here and I have tested in temperatures around 12 degrees celcius. Assuming this engine temperature reading is correct (Maybe it is not) then my thermostat is not opening at 88 degrees, I think it is opening at 82 degrees

So do I:
1) have a thermostat designed to open at 82 degrees
2) Have a faulty thermostat
3) Have an error in the reading
4) Something else happening

I want to get clarity on this before I commit on a path. If anyone can provide this clarity (rather than more ambiguity) I would be grateful.

[Simon.h]

Then I fitted a new thermostat to my V6 some time ago, I also noticed the 82 marked on it and posted the question on here on if it was the opening temp and the answer was no its not!
It also noticed my old housing had 82 also, so I removed the thermostat from its housing and heated it up in a pan on the hob and it started to open at 88c.

I had checked my on board diagnostics to see what temperature mine is running at and like yours the increase slows down at about 82 and then very slowly goes up to about 88c.
I also notice my running temp is about 88/99c in normal driving so this must be my thermostats full opening position, I think????

[kaiser]

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=37644

Some worry it's too hot, some too cold.

I think, on balance, it must more or less even out to right in the middle.:D

[Bolin]

My original plastic one ran at a rock-solid 90 degrees, when I tested it in a pan it started to open at 88 degrees, which according to Haynes it should open at, + or - 2 degrees.

[Roverite]

Possibly not the case these days, but car manufacturers used to fit different stats for different countries, with different climatic conditions and temperatures.

Roverite.

[Bolin]

There is just the one listed on Rimmers, and I haven't seen any mention of different spec 'stats for other countries in anyof the MGR literature that I have.