***Final Update***
I did some research on modern engines and thermostats. It would be too much of a hassle to reprogram the computer and tune the engine to use a cooler thermostat and temp sensors. That being said, I went ahead used the new thermostat I originally bought from O'Reilly's, bolted it to the new metal housing from ebay, and used the temp sensors from the old plastic housing. I used the newer o-rings because they were in much better shape. Everything works great. After a couple 45 minute commutes to work I noticed a definite improvement in engine performance.

Thank you for reading, I hope my experience helps.