help me decide what t-stat to use
03-03-2011, 05:24 PM
#1
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help me decide what t-stat to use hey guys,
I have a 99 TA and Im doing all bolt-ons for now. the car already has Flowtech LTs, Flowtech ORY, SLP LM cat-back, FTRA, smooth bellow, no AIR, no EGR, Monster lvl 2 clutch and tick master cylinder.
in about 2 weeks i'll be putting on an LS6 intake, ported stock tb, SLP 25% UD pulley, dual cut-outs, and a tune by FROST.
i want to know if i should leave the stock t-stat or go with a 180 ? I've read alot of posts about 160 vs. 180 and about half the people that put 160 in, stuck with it. it seems to me 180 would be a happy medium.
what would be best for a full bolt-on LS1 ? let me know guys, thanks.
I have a 99 TA and Im doing all bolt-ons for now. the car already has Flowtech LTs, Flowtech ORY, SLP LM cat-back, FTRA, smooth bellow, no AIR, no EGR, Monster lvl 2 clutch and tick master cylinder.
in about 2 weeks i'll be putting on an LS6 intake, ported stock tb, SLP 25% UD pulley, dual cut-outs, and a tune by FROST.
i want to know if i should leave the stock t-stat or go with a 180 ? I've read alot of posts about 160 vs. 180 and about half the people that put 160 in, stuck with it. it seems to me 180 would be a happy medium.
what would be best for a full bolt-on LS1 ? let me know guys, thanks.
Last edited by boostedbird38; 03-03-2011 at 06:00 PM.
03-03-2011, 05:56 PM
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Yeah i think a 180 stat would be fine but honestly the stock stat is best for the stock car of course, i doubt bolt ons are gunna make that much difference how much hotter the car runs and all. I figured i would get a different stat on forced induction or something but i feel like it would prob end up hurting more then helping to have it run cooler. These like to run a little on the hot side anyways 
Do it before the tune if you do though because if you decide you do want to run cooler your going to want to make the fans come on earlier than and the stat doesnt control that
Do it before the tune if you do though because if you decide you do want to run cooler your going to want to make the fans come on earlier than and the stat doesnt control that 
160 is for higher compression type stuff
03-04-2011, 12:04 AM
#6
IMO, I've been running a 180* for years without any issues, plus it still allows you engine to run hot enough to boil off and condensation in the crank case, less isn't always better at least not for a daily driver. IMO, if you want to run a 160* stat save it for a track car that's not a DD.
As stated already have Frost adjust the on/off temperatures of the fans for the lower tempt stat..
As stated already have Frost adjust the on/off temperatures of the fans for the lower tempt stat..
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03-04-2011, 12:43 PM
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thanks for the replies guys....
before i made the thread i had pretty much decided against the 160. that's why i asked if i should go 180 or stay stock.
i thought I read the stock one is 195 ? does anyone really know for sure ?
if i keep the stocker in, what should the fans settings be lowered to ?
before i made the thread i had pretty much decided against the 160. that's why i asked if i should go 180 or stay stock.
i thought I read the stock one is 195 ? does anyone really know for sure ?
if i keep the stocker in, what should the fans settings be lowered to ?
03-04-2011, 01:02 PM
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I'm pretty sure stock is 195ish. 180 would not hurt things but still, you want to run the engine as hot as the integrity of the parts can handle. Engines run more efficiently hotter. The trick is to isolate your air intake so you aren't also warming up the AF mixture before combustion too much.
hotter the engine, less heat gets absorbed into the block which means more heat goes towards pushing the cylinders.
As long as you dont change the fuel or compression You should be fine with stock. Changing the fan times wont help much since the fluid wont flow until the t-stat is open and the settings are already setup for that. Maybe get a trans cooler. I wouldn't bother with a 180 degree t-stat if the stock is functional.
It's better to put your money into getting colder (denser) air into the combustion chambers than to try to cool the block down.
hotter the engine, less heat gets absorbed into the block which means more heat goes towards pushing the cylinders.
As long as you dont change the fuel or compression You should be fine with stock. Changing the fan times wont help much since the fluid wont flow until the t-stat is open and the settings are already setup for that. Maybe get a trans cooler. I wouldn't bother with a 180 degree t-stat if the stock is functional.
It's better to put your money into getting colder (denser) air into the combustion chambers than to try to cool the block down.
03-04-2011, 01:19 PM
#13
I'm pretty sure stock is 195ish. 180 would not hurt things but still, you want to run the engine as hot as the integrity of the parts can handle. Engines run more efficiently hotter. The trick is to isolate your air intake so you aren't also warming up the AF mixture before combustion too much.
hotter the engine, less heat gets absorbed into the block which means more heat goes towards pushing the cylinders.
As long as you dont change the fuel or compression You should be fine with stock. Changing the fan times wont help much since the fluid wont flow until the t-stat is open and the settings are already setup for that. Maybe get a trans cooler. I wouldn't bother with a 180 degree t-stat if the stock is functional.
It's better to put your money into getting colder (denser) air into the combustion chambers than to try to cool the block down.
hotter the engine, less heat gets absorbed into the block which means more heat goes towards pushing the cylinders.
As long as you dont change the fuel or compression You should be fine with stock. Changing the fan times wont help much since the fluid wont flow until the t-stat is open and the settings are already setup for that. Maybe get a trans cooler. I wouldn't bother with a 180 degree t-stat if the stock is functional.
It's better to put your money into getting colder (denser) air into the combustion chambers than to try to cool the block down.
Yes thats true but how would that effect anyone unless the t stats rated temp was closer to when the fan setting come on? The t stat is fully open way before the low speed fans come on anyway, on at what 219f? Maybe im reading what you say wrong but if he were to set those low speed fans to 210f it would most definatly do plenty. Thats what I will be doing this summer because I have a CAI kit that makes the radiator less efficient so I need the extra fan help when the car isnt moving.
Op dont get confused with this. Setting your fans to come on ealier will do plenty.
03-04-2011, 02:20 PM
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194F running, the stamping on the back (Celsius)
indicates 180-something. When I had the Hype-tech
160, it pivoted about 175-177F.
You don't need to lower the low end of your coolant
temperature range, you need to get control of the
high end. That's not the thermostat's job, it's radiator
(too small) and fans (programmed dumb) and fin-crud.
indicates 180-something. When I had the Hype-tech
160, it pivoted about 175-177F.
You don't need to lower the low end of your coolant
temperature range, you need to get control of the
high end. That's not the thermostat's job, it's radiator
(too small) and fans (programmed dumb) and fin-crud.
03-04-2011, 05:35 PM
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Yes thats true but how would that effect anyone unless the t stats rated temp was closer to when the fan setting come on? The t stat is fully open way before the low speed fans come on anyway, on at what 219f? Maybe im reading what you say wrong but if he were to set those low speed fans to 210f it would most definatly do plenty. Thats what I will be doing this summer because I have a CAI kit that makes the radiator less efficient so I need the extra fan help when the car isnt moving.
Op dont get confused with this. Setting your fans to come on ealier will do plenty.
Op dont get confused with this. Setting your fans to come on ealier will do plenty.
and if the stock t-stat is 187, at what temp is it fully open ?
03-04-2011, 11:20 PM
#17
Bear with me here its been a while lets see if I remember this right...fan will come on at 185f with ac on... 226f with ac off and fans turn off at 219f... then if the car cant handle the heat fast enough at 232f-235f the high speed fans come on. Sorry about my first post I got the 219f wrong. 219f is when they shut off not turn on and I think the stock t stat is fully open before 195f Someone chime in to see if I remember right.
03-05-2011, 08:08 PM
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i made and ran my own 170 t-stat. made a post a while back on how to do it:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...170+thermostat
i had a long talk with stant tech service when i did this. a thermostat fully opens 15 degrees after rated temp. ex: 170 t-stat is fully open at 185 degrees. the only kicker for this mod is you have to have the truck style open thermostat housing, which i had laying around. i researched at the time, and 185 degrees is still hot enough to burn off condensation inside the crankcase, given you let the engine fully warm up. i also do not drive in the winter time, so i can not comment about heater output, but would have to be better than 160.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...170+thermostat
i had a long talk with stant tech service when i did this. a thermostat fully opens 15 degrees after rated temp. ex: 170 t-stat is fully open at 185 degrees. the only kicker for this mod is you have to have the truck style open thermostat housing, which i had laying around. i researched at the time, and 185 degrees is still hot enough to burn off condensation inside the crankcase, given you let the engine fully warm up. i also do not drive in the winter time, so i can not comment about heater output, but would have to be better than 160.
