Can a car run too cold?

[Slo2gen]

Ok so I had a bad day yesterday. I get almost home and I look down and my temp. gauge is pegged out on hot. So I pull over in a parking lot and shut it down and pop the hood. After letting it cool down for little bit I check the oil, its fine, the the coolant, its full. I was puzzled. Well after that I checked how much coolant there was actualy in the radiator and it was almost dry . Well I look at my cap and it seems to be that the gasket was shot. On the cap it says that it is an 11 lb cap so I go to Napa and get a cap and come coolant. I put it on and was looking at it, it is a 16 lb cap. This makes the pressure higher and the car run cooler, but now the car stays on cold, maybe 2cm above it. Is this bad?

 

[Staytuned]

Your thermostat has the final say as to what temperature your car will run. It opens and closes regulating how quickly coolant passes through the rad. Check your thermostat sounds like it might be stuck open. The only thing the cap does like you said is raise the boiling point of your coolant by increasing pressure in the system. Make sure all your hoses are in good shape and your clamps are tight or you might spring a leak.

 

[robmea]

I agree usually when a car runs cold even after you have warmed it up for a while it is usually the thermostat.

 

[Slo2gen]

Thanks I will check that today!

 

[Defiant]

I agree, your overheating episode cooked the thermostat.