All my emissions test are passed and ready but I have a code for ENG NOT REACHING EXPECTED TEMP. because of my 180 deg themostat my rebuilt cooling system works so good that when on the freeway even the 180 them is closed . the enging hovers right at 180 or so........ so i get the code quite often and basically just clear it every couple weeks, But clearing the code wipes the drive cycle and Im likely to get the code again before completeing a drive cycle.
Yes I am trying to avoid putting the 195 therm. back in, we are in the middle of a heat wave and theres no AC in the garage...... I was thinking of partially blocking radiator air flow to keep the temp up. Its litteraly impossible to get it to 185 on the freeway, but partially blocking air flow might be the trick..... ANYONE KNOW A WAY TO DEFEAT THE OVERLY HOT EXPECTED OPERATING TEMP?

my sept 2006 build.... K&N cai, 15% reduction pulley, One ball Mod, 62 mm intercooler with rear washer redirect over intercooler , (25 degree drop in ait temp just before WOT---AWESOME) Alum rear trailing arm conversion, rear lower camber arms ,19 mm sway bar with poly bushs, Koni Str.t orange with Lowering springs and Megan roll center spacers, fnt and rear Godspeed Adj Drop Links. Billet Coolant expansion and Pwr Steering Cans, DIY Strut brace on Cravenspeed Tower defenders. Etc misc... 4 rally lights now

 

Would tread carefully down that path. Uneven cooling / temperature profile across the radiator, could possibly induce thermal stresses in the heat exchange fins / coolant passages leading to leaks. You don't want to tempt the overheating demons on these cars...

Also, would negatively affect the AC if the condenser airflow is reduced or blocked.

Just curious does the code trip the SES light? Also considering a 180F thermostat here...

 

Im very familiar with this car and its shortcomings, mine is very modified and has all the mod improvments addressing its issues (shock towers, PS fan etc etc,,,)
Hadnt considered the uneven airflow over the rad causeing thermal stress. Yesterday i just dropped a piece of cardboard down in front of the radiator section covered by the Air conditioner (currently not operation due to a failed clutch coil) It ran about 7 degrees warmer to about 89c on average, AND YES the code trips the SES light , I just need to pass smog is my only reason for this if I can keep the light off long enough to complete a drive cycle and get it smoged before the light comes on ill be gold. Even if i damage this radiator i wouldnt care because i have a two core All aluminum radiator on the shelf in my garage.I ordered a while back , i had ordered another OEM radiator that arrived with a leak on the upper port where the hose connector mounts to it, but i fixed it after removing the port and using some Neoprene Glue to remount it and the system was working so well I decided to shelf the 2 Core for later installation.... NOW i also have a sensor code for the cat sensors, so i gotta jiggle the cables and see if it goes away......... happened before, its now keeping the light on after clearing codes. I knew when smog time came this was going to be a pain in the ***. i have till oct 14th to get this figued or ill just have to put the 195 back in........... I just hate having to fix something that isnt broken just so satisfy the state of california..... my fix to get the car to run at the temp i want it to was to intall a toggle on my dash that turns on my 2nd stage fan when my coolant temp gauge (aftermarket) starts to beep at 98deg Celcius....... I rarely ever let it run over 100 , the engine loves it and is very responsive at the pedal. When it runs hotter it displays varying degrees of unpredicability and would even stall with the rad fan staying on for about two minutes being hard to restart. The temp these cars were supposedly designed to run at basically cooks them with their lifespan shortened to about 100 to 150k miles, Ime anticipating an addidtion of atleast 50 k forcing it to run cooler, maybe more but I can definitely atest to its inproved reliability and better responsivness since the toggle .....(its just a ground bypass at relay box in the eng compartment).... bought car with 80K now has 95k

 

>California smog check
>heavily modified

Say no more. Good luck.