Running without a thermostat ok?

68 formula you're exactly right. I haven't touched the cooling system on my Dart for years. It has a/c also and will idle out in the sun forever with no issues. I am sort of waiting for it to fail, freeze plug or something, to give me an excuse to pull the engine since it uses a little oil and has a problem valve. Also this thread prompted me to go out and give my old Cobalt with a couple hundred thousand on it a test. It got a new radiator and condensor when it was fairly new due to a rather large raccoon. Other than that untouched. It usually runs about 193, but by taking it up hill air on and floorboarded I could only manage 219. It is about 111 degrees here. These threads about overheating vehicles are difficult, there are just too many variables that many don't get. What is so hard about looking up your car and putting the thermostat in it that it is supposed to have? Seems that would be a good place to start.