[jumpsoffrock]

I'm not happy about seeing my factory temp gauge going very near all the way to the right

I have never driven this truck, it's been in running condition in my driveway since I took it off of a trailer. I have been doing general maintenance to get it drivable.
I replaced the thermostat for the fun of it, a 160º unit came out of the engine. I figured I try and see how it runs with a factory 195º unit so that's what I installed.
I also installed a different thermo housing with two pipe plug holes in it, and in one hole installed a working mechanical gauge.

I ran the truck and the mechanical gauge wasn't barely budging, the top rad hose was not as hot as it should be, however the factory temp gauge was almost all the way over to the right; I'd consider that overheating.

I took the new 195º thermo out and tested in pan of water and it started opening close enough to 195

I put the old 160 back in it and ran it, the mechanical gauge went to maybe 170 sitting still at idle, and the factory gauge was barely at the warm up point on the left side of the gauge.

Are these trucks really meant to run with 195 thermos? I think 160 is too cold and am considering a 180º, but I felt like I was about to seriously overheat a truck I barely just got.....and I DONT wanna do that.
I can't imagine that the factory set thermostat temp would allow the factory gauge to get almost all the way to HOT before it begins to circulate the coolant.
Every thread I read about "correct running temps/thermo" has guys saying they run mostly 195's and they are absolutely happy about it.


Based on my testing I have no reason to believe the factory temp gauge/sender are malfunctioning.