I have a 1982 Z28 with the 305 carb. When i cruise down the road, and stop at a red light, on a sunnier and warmer day, the cars temp goes up to about 225. The previous owner had the thermostat switched to a winter one, before winter started. The ar has never gotten into the red zone, but the temp gets higher. Any suggestions on what to do or if i need to swap the thermostat, which one to go with?? Thanks

Does it have a reguler fan clutch or a electric fan, It could be (imo) the fan clutch. Im only assuming the temp is rising at the stop light.

As you said it could be also the thermostat, not opening all the way.

Is the plastic air deflector in place under the radiator?

yea its got a regular fan clutch, and yes, the plastic dealy is in place, if it wasn't, would this also cause cooling problems?? Im thinking of replacing the thermostat, what temp should i go with to keep the engine cooler??

oh, and yes the temp only rises at stop lights

perhaps your fan clutch is shot?

wat temp should i go with, when im buying a new thermostat?

if it cools going down the road, i don't think the thermostat is shot.
check the fan clutch for one of the following 2 symptoms-

1)does the fan keep spinning after you shut the engine off?
2)with the engine off, can you easily spin the fan?

if you answer yes to either or both of these questions, get a new fan clutch.
but, if you MUST buy a new thermostat, get a stock 195. that's what the car is designed for, and if you go with a cooler one- like a 180 or even a 160- you might still get 200 degree running temps, but the thermostat will open earlier and cause it to take a bit longer to get up to temp.
but it will still run about the same temp, no matter what, unless you have a super duper radiator in there or something.

I have a 1982 Z28 with the 305 carb. When i cruise down the road, and stop at a red light, on a sunnier and warmer day, the cars temp goes up to about 225. The previous owner had the thermostat switched to a winter one, before winter started. The ar has never gotten into the red zone, but the temp gets higher. Any suggestions on what to do or if i need to swap the thermostat, which one to go with?? Thanks
Check out under the radiator. There should be an air damn that directs the air up in front of the radiator. If it's not there or it's broken replace it. I had an 84 Z28 that was over heating and I couldn't believe that's what was causing it, but it was.

My front air dam busted off on a parking block many years ago, and indeed, some cooling was lost, but nothing I was ever too concerned about. Last year, however, things got out of hand with temperature, and I had the same thing happen as you even with a 160 thermostat. Turned out to to be, you guessed it, a bum fan clutch. I ordered a new clutch, and while waiting for it to arrive, I had the rad flushed at a shop (not the home jobby kits you can get). That alone helped a lot, but once I put the new clutch in there, everything cooled right off once again. :)

I had electric fans.

COOLING ISSUES
This always seems to happen in city traffic ....cfm draw seems to be the culpret here ...as some have noted it may very well be the fan cluch.

If she cools down the road the therm stat is not a issue .. but if you replace it stay with stock....keep in mind therm stats only control opening temps and do nothing to bring down over all temps ...and you want to be at 180 degress min to burn off moisture and contaminates .

the need for CFM s are greatest at idle and in some cases thats where electric fans are great as there sensor controled... the more cfm you can pull the better... theres almost no end to cooling effect the higher you can go the better.

ALUMITECH REPRODUCTIONS

sorry alumitech, but already went with the 160, will this hurt my cars performance, can i keep this thermostat, im in debt, so i cant really afford to replace many parts

I have been running my 160 no problem, and I went with the unit after testimony from a friend with an '85 and the same thermo, so you needn't worry.