Is this true? If so does anyone have proof that the lower temp actually increases horsepower or trap speeds?

 

this has been debated for quite some time.

some say its bad some say its good.

I decided to just keep the stocker in and get a fan switch.

 

Nothing that's going to be significant. Kind of nice to know the engine isn't running as hot though I guess

 

Thats where to confusion starts. Some say its not good for the engine to run at that low of a temp.

 

I've always thought that low engine temps mean more horse...I think that the engine would run the same with the new gauge. But i do think that there is an area where the engine runs best, maybe not one exact area...The G-spot temperate is spread throughout a certain point.

 

I like the oil staying cooler myself. My oil pressure always seemed to drop when the car would run up to 210*. At 170* I always had like 10-15 more psi.

 

Ok... Here is the answer to the 160 thermo myth...

The fact is, a lower temp thermostat WILL NOT make the engine run cooler! All a 160 thermo does is let the coolant enter the engine sooner. The engine will run at whatever temperature it wants to based on the properties of the motor and the efficiency of the cooling system.

If you let your car warm up in the driveway by just letting it idle, it will take a little bit more time to warm up to full temp with the 160 thermo. This is because the coolant begins to flow sooner, and the coolant also has to heat up, instead of just the engine. The longer the coolant stays out of the motor, the less time the engine takes to warm up.

The only way to make the car run cooler with the lower thermo is by also reducing the temperatures at which the fans come on. Lets say you have a 190 thermo and the fans come on at 200. Once the thermo opens at 190, the coolant will begin to heat up and will heat up to 200 at which point the fans will come on and begin to cool the coolant, regulating the temperature of the motor around 200 degrees. Now, if you have a 160 thermo and 200 degree fan setting, the coolant will begin to flow at 160, and then keep heating up up to 200 degrees at which point the fans come on. So you see, either way you will have the same running temp with the 160 thermo and the stocker.

The only way the engine will run cooler with just the 160 thermo is if you begin driving on the freeway when the thermo opens. The air coming into the radiator simulates the running fan and keeps the coolant cool.

In theory, a 160 thermo AND lower fan settings would make the car run quicker, but nothing noticible. Dyno gains would be minimal at best.

TheBlurLS1, the cooler oil is just more viscous, which would explain the higher oil pressure. Sometimes a higher pressure isn't desireable, as dynamic fluid pressure = restriction.

 

Ferocity is correct i have had a 160 degree therm and noticed no change until i changed my Fan settings with my HP tuners now it runs from 181 to 185 and the 402 only has about 200 miles on it so it is still very fresh.In my opinion i would not change the therm till you have a way to change when the fans come on.But to each his own i guess.

 

Typically, the advantages of a cooler running engine (yes, you must get the PCM reprogrammed to turn the fans on at a different temperature) are that you can run more timing without detonation because the heads stay cooler. However, this is offset a bit by the extra combustion heat you are losing through the cooler heads. The performance gains are more than likely very minimal.

So if you don't have a full tune done (spark/fuel tables), you can actually lose power because there is no more timing being added, but more power is being lost (through the cooler heads).

 

its good obviously to run cooler then it is to run hot, but theres a point when your too cool, if its too cool your not going to make the power that u should. so running cool is good for power but u dont want to go to cool.

 

het a 180-190 stat 160 is to low OMI

 

I wouldn't go any lower than a 180 degree thermostat, 160 is way too low for a computer controlled vehicle. Since the car takes longer to warm up and stays cooler when the fan setting is lowered, the ECU may keep the mixture rich, which wastes fuel and creates carbon buildup in the engine.

I think the best setup is a 180 degree thermostat, with the fans set to come on at 190 degrees.

 

dude a thermostat will have your car throwing you back in your seat.. its more of a seat of the pants mod than anything else

 

You do realize that the stock stat is basically 180 right? A 160 stat will not cause the ecu to do anything of the sort. It's an old myth that's lasted way too long. A 160 stat may give you slight hp gains by helping to reduce intake temps, but the main advantage they have is to reduce the chance of detonation and spark retard. I do agree though that in stop and go traffic without lower fan temps a 160 stat is pointless.

 

all i know is when your sitting in bumper 2 bumper traffic in a hot florida summer day and not to mention a black car, it def. helps. plus iron blocks tend to be alot hotter then alum. for those of u that have them. im one of them thats why i mentioned it.

 

Dude take your own advice (sig 160?)

These chickenbone mods may make you feel like you are doing something. Meat and potatoes mods, H/C/I get you results.

 

True, these small supporting mods may not do much, but without them, the results of a H/C/I swap would be less than stellar. Every bit helps.

 

When does the thermostat open and when does the fan start on my 98 Ls1? I seem to have trouble bleeding or getting the fans started or getting the flow running or something.

 

Stock 195F thermostat fan settings -
Fan 1 on/off - 209/200
Fan 2 on off - 219/210

 

i got a 160f thermostat, and a mezier water pump and an slp predator to tune the fans .. when i first started it after installing the water pump and thermostat of course it ran just like it did before, just took longer to heat up. but then i hooked up the predator to it made the fans come on alil at over 160f and now it runs alot cooler i used to have it stay over 210f wich i didnt like thats not good for any engine gm made them run hot because it puts out less emisions, thats the only reason. and even with my 160 thermostat and slp tune it still looks to get up to 170 180 after its all warmed up and stay there ... the higher temp thermostat would be better for winter though being you dont want to wait for your car to warm up so long and you dont want your oil staying too cool in the winter. but as for summer i think its a great addittion if you get a tuner too.. if not dont waste the 5$ for mine or 50$ for you if you got the stock pump.and i did notice alil performance boost but that might of just been the slp tune and that i cleaned my air filter ... 3k miles and i got a pound of bugs in my filter .. i think its the only thing i dont like about ram air.