Is 180 deg. F normal operating temp?

[onecrazyfoo4u]

I have a redtop sr20 in my 95 S14. Have the stock ka radiator, and some single electric fan on there now. Have all the upper and lower ducting so no air is escaping at all. But I do have a huge front mount, that blocks out alot of the radiator.

My stock water temp gauge always soars to hot when I go up hill. I can romp on it all I want in stop and go traffic, never gets above half. But it'll hit H when I go uphill for a minute or so. So I put on an autometer gauge and wired it on to an inline hose adapter in my upper radiator hose. It stays around 170 deg. F while in town and never goes over 180. Is this a safe temperature to be running at? I just don't have money for a nice radiator right now, but I don't want to damage anything. I think my stock gauge has just crapped out. Thanks!

[Chukidori]

Thats normal temp..at least for a KA24. The thermostat opens around 180..to keep it near that constant temperature.

[HxC_Nismo]

well if your not running a catlytic converter its safe, i run my rb around 185degF cause when you no longer have a cat or emissions you dont have to run hot like 190-205deg cause you dont have to warm up the cat conv. so your fine and it helps your engine last a bit longer

[onecrazyfoo4u]

Yeah I do have a cat, which will be taken out shortly since I don't have emissions. Are you saying that cars with cats naturally run hotter then? Mine doesn't seem to. I'm still not too sure though, because the stock gauge goes all the way to hot almost when I'm going uphill, but the new gauge goes to barely above 180. But they are mounted in different places though. Just making sure that 180 isn't too hot for this motor, don't want to damage anything!