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01 TA - By swapping out my Thermostat to the 160 degree one, do i have to mess with the fan settings? (with hp tuners or something, wouldn't know how to do that) Or is it just plug and play, with the obvious radiator flush to get rid of air in the system.
You don't "have to".. but I always turn them down lower even on the stock T-stat cars. It helps greatly. I've never installed a 160 in anything I own and I live in Florida.
Example, this is the stock tune compared to my changes in my 2002 C5Z06. Factory set to have Fan 2 come on as the Engine is in meltdown...
Last edited by the_merv; Aug 30, 2024 at 05:05 PM.
just because you install a 160 stat ....does not mean your car will always stay at 160.....i have a 160....and my car runs about 190.....and i have the fans tuned down
If motor runs warm and you put in a lower t-stat to "fix" the issue, it could get worse since the t-stat will always be open and not giving time for coolant to cool off.
The t-stat is suppose the cycle open/close to allow the radiator to do it's job, IF coolant runs constantly, there is little or no time to allow heat transfer from motor to coolant and coolant to atmosphere.
If motor runs warm and you put in a lower t-stat to "fix" the issue, it could get worse since the t-stat will always be open and not giving time for coolant to cool off.
The t-stat is suppose the cycle open/close to allow the radiator to do it's job, IF coolant runs constantly, there is little or no time to allow heat transfer from motor to coolant and coolant to atmosphere.
Originally Posted by sjsingle1
just because you install a 160 stat ....does not mean your car will always stay at 160.....i have a 160....and my car runs about 190.....and i have the fans tuned down
@Doug G I was looking at the coolant temp the other day on my stock Z28 and it was around 200.* @sjsingle1 ‘s example of 190* coolant temps with a 160* T-stat might show that the coolant was in the radiator long enough be “cooled.” It might also show that a 160* t-stat probably won’t make it “too cool.” I don’t guess 190* is too cold to be “effecient” anyway. That being said it seems maybe the LS’s don’t have to run all that cool since the stock fan settings are set at a relatively high temp before it comes on.
I know my last 3 trucks, all LS motors of course, and they all ran 210-ish all the time when at temp...I'm sure it has to do with MPG and Emissions.
My car with the LS swap, 35gpm electric water pump, and no t-stat, I have the fans set to 175 on and 165 off. The fans cycle like a new car would...BUT this is a weekend toy (Street/Strip).
You need the heat to also "burn off" the water vapor and other contaminates in the oil.
From: Poway, Ca. where GOD and the sun always shines
Originally Posted by sjsingle1
just because you install a 160 stat ....does not mean your car will always stay at 160.....i have a 160....and my car runs about 190.....and i have the fans tuned down
^^^This^^^
A 160 degree thermostat will OPEN @ or around 160, however you still may operate @ 200 degrees in warm weather. I run a 180 degree thermostat, and I live in a warm climate, it opens around 180, and circulates the coolant through the radiator, however in summertime around town, my engine runs @ 200 +. During the winter, the engine runs around 195 degrees. I too have my fans come on @ lower temperatures, when I had the vehicle dyno tuned. My vehicles engine is stock. Try to find a "Motorad" thermostat, they are "Fail Safe", which means if the thermostat fails, it defaults to the open position (opposed to staying closed).
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T-Stat 160? 
