Thermostats?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 55
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From: Los AnGeLeS
Thermostats? Where are some place to get thermostats? Do I need a 160 or 180 degree thermostat? I live in Los Angeles my temperature gauge stats at 210 nomatter what the weather may be. I also have WW GFX, and will be getting the SLP manual fan switch. Would it be possible just to go to pepboys and get a 160 degree thermostat or do I need to order a 50 dollar hypertech one? I know there is a cheaper version of the SLP manual fan switch any insight? THanks.
Re: Thermostats? Fans turn on at over 200F stock, so you'll
still see the same temp while stuck in
traffic unless you program them down or
go manual. There are writeups on adding your
own fan switch. Try ls1info.com or
installuniversity.com. You can modify the
stock 'stat yourself with a shim. I haven't
seen any cheap aftermarket 'stats yet, not like
the $4.00 Robertshaw rack at AutoZone anyway.
With fans programmed to kick in at 185F you will
see 194F coolant temp, solid. The needle will be
left of the 210F mark by a little bit, though
the gauge is pretty much just eye candy.
still see the same temp while stuck in
traffic unless you program them down or
go manual. There are writeups on adding your
own fan switch. Try ls1info.com or
installuniversity.com. You can modify the
stock 'stat yourself with a shim. I haven't
seen any cheap aftermarket 'stats yet, not like
the $4.00 Robertshaw rack at AutoZone anyway.
With fans programmed to kick in at 185F you will
see 194F coolant temp, solid. The needle will be
left of the 210F mark by a little bit, though
the gauge is pretty much just eye candy.
13 Second Truck Club
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,094
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From: Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de la Porciúncula
Re: Thermostats? I have an '01 4.8 Sierra. My gauge always read 195, always. My buddy with the same truck modded his and now it reads 180 about. If you don't have the hypertech programmer to do the timing advance, go with the 180, or just mod your stock one, the price is right <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
12 Second Club
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 334
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From: jonesville, MI
Re: Thermostats? I don't know of anywhere to get a cheap thermostat. They are expensive because they come with the housing and seal too. Stock temp. stat on my 01 is 180 degree. I bought an SLP stat (160 degree), which actually operates at 170-175 while going down the road. You won't see much difference with the SLP stat. If you installed a stat that actually operates at 160 degrees, it would set a code and SES light with stock pcm programming. P0128 I believe.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 366
Likes: 0
From: west coast
Re: Thermostats? Don't know what year you have. I have an 02 and live in So Cal also. If you do a little research you will find our temp gauges are more like an idiot light, they always read 210 unless there is a temp change of like 20 degrees or more. My stock thermostat is 180. Even if you go to the dealer and ask for a thermostat they will hand you an 180. I also checked my coolant temp and it was 177. Everyone seems to think they have an 195 because of that 210 reading, not true. Then they run out and spend big bucks on an Hypertech 180 and wonder why the temp gauge reads the same! It will run a little hot if your stuck in traffic because of fan temp settings, you can change these settings with a programmer. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
