thermostat temp reccommendation
 

What temp thermostat would yall reccommend (71 79 or 87)? I live in North Alabama where it can be in the teens in the winter and hit the 90s during the summer. What is the stock temp.

Always use the recommended by the manufacturer for your vehicle.
My 300E calls for an 87, and that is what it gets.

Good advise from pesuazo.

Too cool a t-stat will sludge up an engine and provide less than optimum performance which translates into off-target gas mileage.

I bought my '95 with a 79C thermostat, always held there, didn't notice any problems at all. I recently replaced the water pump, and while in there, my t-stat with the 87C that the car calls for. Temps are steady, no problems at all.
The only thing that makes me alittle concerned is that with the 104 motor especially prone to overheating damage, I was alittle more comfortable when the engine ran cooler.