The Josh

Hey all. Last week, I bought a 1999 Trans Am Ram Air and absolutely love it! What a fast damn car!

Anyway, I have been searching the threads and have not determined what is the best temperature thermostat to buy for this machine. I am leaning towards a 180 but am not sure.

I intend to eventually buy a K&N filter, Crane Programmer and Flowmaster exhaust and that is probably all.

What thermostat should I get???

Thanks in advance.

The Josh

Beast96Z

iTrader: (21)

Make sure the programmer you get is able to adjust the fan settings, that way you can optimize the new thermostat. Personally, I'd use a 180. As far as exaust, forget about flowmaster. Get yourself a nice Magnaflow or a Hooker catback. Flowmasters usaully end with a loss of HP, whereas the 2 I listed above only lost 1hp over a straight cut-out. Oh yea, post questions like this in the External engine section next time. This is internal.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

http://www.vincihighperformance.com/fbodyls1.html then click cooling. i use their 170* t-stat in both of my cars. i also use the vinci/crane handheld tuner with them as well. and skip the flowmaster as well. my suggestion is to go duals right off the bat. i have the bassani tru-dual on both cars as well. picked up .3 and 4 mph over a cutout. on the wife's car, i picked up 15 rwhp over the borla exhaust.

11 Bravo

iTrader: (3)

Keep the stock thermostat and spend money elsewhere..

rush7

iTrader: (2)

According to what many people here on the forums have said, the 180* thermo only opens a hair before the stock thermostat, despite the fact that it is said to open at 195*, making any difference in engine temperature negligible. If you have your mind set on changing it, you will need to go lower to a 160 or possibly 170. If you are going to go with the Crane programmer, you might be wise to lower the temps the computer kicks on the fans (the stock settings are pretty high). Someone correct me if the Crane can't do this, but this seems to be a common feature of the handhelds. You might search around the old posts here and look for the pros and cons of each mod before you do them, as they exist for the mods you listed.

Also, welcome to the ls1tech forums

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

yes the vinci/crane tuner does alter the fan settings. either stock (230*), 210*, or 190*. here's a tutorial about the vinci/crane tuner http://www.stealthram.com/vhptuner.htm

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

I wouldn't even bother with the stat until you throw a cam in anyway. That's just me though.

And definitly skip the Flowmaster. That's the defult redneck exhaust. Try the Hooker or Magnaflow as mentioned.

The Josh

Thanks for all of the ideas. I read in the manual, as well as on this site, that the stock thermostat begins opening at 177-184 degrees. If that is indeed accurate, then really I can use the stock thermostat with the tuner and change the fan on temperature with no probelms, right?

Also, Why is there usch a wide variation in opinion about the thermostat temps anyway? I read that some people run a 160 and some people run 180 and some other run stock t-stats with lotsa mods on their rides.

On my last f-body (92 Z28 w/L98), I would have probably killed my engine without a lower temp t-stat and I didn't even have any mods on it!!!

Still trying to figure out this LS1 motor.

The Josh

11 Bravo

iTrader: (3)

There has always been a dispute about that. My car has been on the rollers twice. My highest numbers have always came when the engine was @ 185-200. I was down around 10rwhp with the engine cool (160-170) The dyno operator said he had always seen that with the aluminum block LS1. Never seen solid proof a low temp thermostat makes you faster with these motors. Alot say it feels faster. Who knows lol