t-stats: coolant temp vs torque?

a warmer thermostat won't fix a fluctuating temperature problem unless the original thermostat was malfunctioning. How long has the 180 been in there?

Your coolant system works like this:

You have coolant in the engine and radiator and they are initially separated by the theromstat. Once your engine's coolant has reached the designated temperature (i.e. 180 degrees), your t-stat opens and allows your coolant to circulate through the radiator. When this first happens, you will notice a drastic decrease in temperature because you now have coolant that is the same temp as outside air flowing into your engine. After the initial cycle, it will be less noticable. If you get a chip, your fans will most likely be programmed to come on before 195 degrees so they would be running all the time, which is why you need a 180 t-stat with a chip.