Peugeot 306 Ralley 2001 overheating problem: does anyone know what is the correct engine temp. for 306 Ralley?

Q: I've had the thermostat replaced (as well as new fan assembly/contoller, radiator cleanout) to fix overheating problem. However the new Peugeot issue thermostat control cuts in at 90+ degrees instead of the previous 70+ degrees, which is causing me (and possibly the car) some bother. The garage says this is the correct thermostat for the car as Peugeot issued it and that 90 degrees is the correct running temp for the car, but I'm not convinced. Can anyone offer any suggestions? The engine is 2.0L, 16V, EFI. Many thanks.

A: Yes, 90 degrees is good! Doesn't the gauge on the 306 dashboard have a little "90" straight up in the middle? And a 110 degree mark to the right, that's bad. 110 degrees means something is boiling. Just below the boiling point is the norm for most every car I've owned. I own many books on Peugeot repair. Peugeots from the 1970-1987 usually had a thermostat that opened at 75 to 82 degrees. The cooling fan came on at 97, and off at 87. Then, around 1988, Peugeot cars changed to thermostats that were fully opened at 93, 96, 102 degrees. ONE LITTLE THING that can cause your coolant to boil is an escape of air (bubbles) in the cooling system. Boiling is, by definition, the escape of gases from a liquid. CHECK YOUR radiator cap. It must hold tight up to a pressure of ??? One bar, I'm guessing for the 306. If your expansion tank is below the minimum level, this allows bubbles to escape, too. What the heck, ask another garage about 70 vs 90. But an engine that runs too cold, will not perform as well.

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