160 deg thermostat
the thermostat opens earlier to let coolant flow through the radiator, it begins to let water into the radiator at 160* instead of 195* or whatever the stock T-stat is...the engine still produces the same heat, but the cooling system tries to dissipate the heat earlier instead of letting it get hot first....so it should run cooler...
Originally Posted by spy2520
the thermostat opens earlier to let coolant flow through the radiator, it begins to let water into the radiator at 160* instead of 195* or whatever the stock T-stat is...the engine still produces the same heat, but the cooling system tries to dissipate the heat earlier instead of letting it get hot first....so it should run cooler...
Originally Posted by Matt D
Don't waste your money on it. Just tune it to have the fans come on sooner. LS1s run better at the full operating temperature.
I still have the stockers in both camaros. these cars are designed to run on a hotter temp. basis.....throwing a stat in there really isnt a huge difference....most people dont realize that when your driving he heat gets sucked out from around the engine anyways...driving down the highway, in the summer, in florida....my car was running at 186 degrees....even though my temp gauge said more.....i had efi live hooked up....
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I put a 160 T-stat in my car and tried to tune the fans to come on sooner with my Hypertech tuner but the temp guage still sits at the same spot around 200. Are my fans really coming on sooner? or is my tuner a POS? But my tuner still works for ajusting the rev limiter and speedo...?
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Verdad Gallardo I assume you have a 99-02 F-body correct? The water temp guage is a dummy. It only shows if you overheat or not. Only way to check is with tuning software or an actual water temp guage.
Leave the stocker in there. Newer style engines were designed to run hotter than the older sbc.
Unless you have a 98, the temp gauge is a dummy gauge. 
Get an aftermarket gauge to get the correct temp.
Originally Posted by Black02LS1
I put a 160 T-stat in my car and tried to tune the fans to come on sooner with my Hypertech tuner but the temp guage still sits at the same spot around 200. Are my fans really coming on sooner? or is my tuner a POS? But my tuner still works for ajusting the rev limiter and speedo...?
Get an aftermarket gauge to get the correct temp. 
Originally Posted by Matt D
I assume you have a 99-02 F-body correct? The water temp guage is a dummy. It only shows if you overheat or not. Only way to check is with tuning software or an actual water temp guage.
If you install a 160 you will also need to adjust the fan temp. If you don't you won't notice a difference. My running temps have dropped on average 30 deg. per HP tuners. The gauge only shows a slight drop. I like the way my car runs with the 160.
i opens up more frequent. i noticed a difference on my auto z28, but on my stick z28, it stays at 200 at all times. the auto would stay at 180s on cold night crusing, but never go pass 190. i've been told that the temp gauge is programmed to do that on the M6 cars... not sure how true that is:/ my stick car has the redline additive in the dex cool, slp radiator, and the 160 t-stat, and stays at a constant 200 degrees...
I tossed a 160º in mine when the stocker got stuck halfway open (temps were higher, but wasn't overheating), and adjusted the fans to come on earlier.
I know everyone says they don't make a difference, but my car performed noticeably better at the drag strip after. About 1-2 tenths better, consistantly.
IIRC, I thought the reason for the 190º thermostat was to help with emissions? Maybe I read wrong somewhere, but I thought that was the purpose.
I know everyone says they don't make a difference, but my car performed noticeably better at the drag strip after. About 1-2 tenths better, consistantly.
IIRC, I thought the reason for the 190º thermostat was to help with emissions? Maybe I read wrong somewhere, but I thought that was the purpose.
I find it hard to believe an ls1 would make less power at ~170* than at ~200*, which would be the difference between stock and a 160* stat.
VHP had a page at one time that had some actual tech info, comparing the diffferent temperatures....if anyone still has that link.
I also don't buy that ls1s need to run hotter. 170* is still hot, it's not like it's making less burned fuel or anything. It's still burning fuel and air in the same manner at both engine temps. Logic dictates you take away any of that excess heat, and it will only run better.
VHP had a page at one time that had some actual tech info, comparing the diffferent temperatures....if anyone still has that link.
I also don't buy that ls1s need to run hotter. 170* is still hot, it's not like it's making less burned fuel or anything. It's still burning fuel and air in the same manner at both engine temps. Logic dictates you take away any of that excess heat, and it will only run better.
Originally Posted by lsx24
I find it hard to believe an ls1 would make less power at ~170* than at ~200*, which would be the difference between stock and a 160* stat.
VHP had a page at one time that had some actual tech info, comparing the diffferent temperatures....if anyone still has that link.
I also don't buy that ls1s need to run hotter. 170* is still hot, it's not like it's making less burned fuel or anything. It's still burning fuel and air in the same manner at both engine temps. Logic dictates you take away any of that excess heat, and it will only run better.
VHP had a page at one time that had some actual tech info, comparing the diffferent temperatures....if anyone still has that link.
I also don't buy that ls1s need to run hotter. 170* is still hot, it's not like it's making less burned fuel or anything. It's still burning fuel and air in the same manner at both engine temps. Logic dictates you take away any of that excess heat, and it will only run better.
Ever consider running cooler in the past may have been a "crutch" for poor tuning and design? Take some classes in thermodynamics and your thinking may change a little...
Hammer
Originally Posted by thehammer69
Ever consider running cooler in the past may have been a "crutch" for poor tuning and design? Take some classes in thermodynamics and your thinking may change a little...
And what does poor tuning and design have to do with operating temperatures? To the point that a cooler engine somehow 'masks' errors in the design or tune?
And what's so special about the ls1, that it requires more heat than a regular engine? (If I understand correctly, this is the argument).
Please explain...
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 240
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From: Thornton, Colorado
Originally Posted by Matt D
Don't waste your money on it. Just tune it to have the fans come on sooner. LS1s run better at the full operating temperature.