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Well, sorta. If the engine runs cool, like without a thermostat, the ambient temperature sender tells the ECU "I'm cold" so the ECU makes a richer mixture. You see/feel little operating difference, only a 2-3 drop in miles per gallon.
You experience matches one of mine. Halfway through a 160 mile trip the temp needle wandered down from 9:00 to 7:30. I imagined that the water level had dropped to below the temp sender on the block, and went into 3/4 flap. (Full flap equals panic.)
Found a place with water, pulled in, checked it - everything perfect. Drove home and bought a new thermostat. Upon pulling the old thermostat I found that the little pin in the flange of the T-stat (supposed to be mounted at 12:00 to clear air bubbles) had dropped down and jammed the T-stat open. I re-installed the same T-stat with the pin at 10:00, and the temp is back at 9:00 all the time.
The temperature compensation board is, I think, supposed to smooth out the needle fluctuations which are visible as the engine heats up. My pre-86 bricks all did the same dance. In the first few miles of driving the needle gets up to 11:00, just below the red. Then it drops down to 9:00. Perhaps the folks who have no clue about car stuff bothered the service writers soooo much that the factory put in this money-making temp comp board. I printed out the post on how to by-pass the @#$% thing.
Good Luck, and get back to normal soon.
Bob
:>)
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