ECT, Thermostat Recommendation...
02-12-2008, 08:02 PM
#1
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Smynings, GA
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ECT, Thermostat Recommendation... Boy did I open a can of worms....
I have searched and found no straight forward answer. So please don't respond with "I think..."
1. What is the stock thermostat rating (degrees) on a 2000 Camaro SS?
2. What thermostat rating is recommeneded on a head/cam car?
3. What will the ECT (Engine Coolant Temp) be with the recommended thermostat?
I still have the stock thermostat after a head/cam swap, and the car stays at around ~205 degrees according to the stock gauge... which I have now read is not accurate... true?
Thanks guys
I have searched and found no straight forward answer. So please don't respond with "I think..."
1. What is the stock thermostat rating (degrees) on a 2000 Camaro SS?
2. What thermostat rating is recommeneded on a head/cam car?
3. What will the ECT (Engine Coolant Temp) be with the recommended thermostat?
I still have the stock thermostat after a head/cam swap, and the car stays at around ~205 degrees according to the stock gauge... which I have now read is not accurate... true?
Thanks guys
02-12-2008, 09:45 PM
#2
Moderator
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: East Central Florida
Posts: 12,605
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
6 Posts
The thermostat is not the problem, it's the small radiator
and low cooling airflow. Stock thermostat runs at 194F
and is a "180" rated (it's in Celsius, the stamped number).
If you don't fix the radiator / airflow problem then a
cooler thermostat will do nothing where you need it. A
wide-open hole is a wide-open hole and the water is
still too hot. Pavement air in the Southland is a ****
poor heat sink and you run that through the A/C
condenser, shedding its own heat, before the radiator
even sees it. So that radiator wants to be a whole lot
bigger core and it wants the fans on.
and low cooling airflow. Stock thermostat runs at 194F
and is a "180" rated (it's in Celsius, the stamped number).
If you don't fix the radiator / airflow problem then a
cooler thermostat will do nothing where you need it. A
wide-open hole is a wide-open hole and the water is
still too hot. Pavement air in the Southland is a ****
poor heat sink and you run that through the A/C
condenser, shedding its own heat, before the radiator
even sees it. So that radiator wants to be a whole lot
bigger core and it wants the fans on.
02-13-2008, 07:21 AM
#3
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Smynings, GA
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay... I don't plan to upgrade the cooling system.
So, will installing a 160 degree thermostat be the viable option? Or is the stock 180 degree okay along with the fans turning on sooner?
So, will installing a 160 degree thermostat be the viable option? Or is the stock 180 degree okay along with the fans turning on sooner?
02-13-2008, 09:03 AM
#4
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Key West, Florida
Posts: 3,183
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
first off....the temp guage in 99+ fbodies were dummy gauges. they basically stay at one temp unless a severe overheating is occuring. 98 was the only year for the fully functional guage. if you want to see what your ECT is doing, get a scanner or install a cheap real temp guage and stick it someplace. i've seen guys run them up into the glove box...so they can monitor the temp when they need to (track, traffic, tuning), but its not out in the dash.
my cammed engine w/ a 160 stat, will maintain a ECT (on a scanner) of around 170-175* on an average day in south florida. on hotter days on the street it will run 180*
i've also run the fan switch on HIGH and it pulls it down to that same ~170* temp.
due to the open/close nature of the stat, i've seen that about 15* over the rated temp is the equilibrium point for the past few cars i've run...LS1, LT1 and 305TPI.
the stock temp settings for the stock stat are not that bad. you probably won't see any change unless you put a lower stat in, and THEN change the settings.
contrary to popular belief, you don't even NEED to change the fan setting if you swap stats. the fan settings are irrelivant when you're moving...since air is going over the radiator anyway. so the only time fan settings are of value is in stop and go situations...when you really don't need the extra power from a cooler engine.
if you are worried about over heating in traffic....than the cooling system itself needs to be addressed...not just band-aided with lower fan settings
my cammed engine w/ a 160 stat, will maintain a ECT (on a scanner) of around 170-175* on an average day in south florida. on hotter days on the street it will run 180*
i've also run the fan switch on HIGH and it pulls it down to that same ~170* temp.
due to the open/close nature of the stat, i've seen that about 15* over the rated temp is the equilibrium point for the past few cars i've run...LS1, LT1 and 305TPI.
the stock temp settings for the stock stat are not that bad. you probably won't see any change unless you put a lower stat in, and THEN change the settings.
contrary to popular belief, you don't even NEED to change the fan setting if you swap stats. the fan settings are irrelivant when you're moving...since air is going over the radiator anyway. so the only time fan settings are of value is in stop and go situations...when you really don't need the extra power from a cooler engine.
if you are worried about over heating in traffic....than the cooling system itself needs to be addressed...not just band-aided with lower fan settings
02-17-2008, 03:01 PM
#5
Lower coolant temps mean more power, period. Lower temp, more timing, more power. Ever run you car at the track with it hot vs cooled off, ALWAYS quicker when the engine is cold...ALWAYS.
Sitting at a stoplight and a bonehead in a stang wants to run and you dont need the lower coolant temp in stop and go traffic?
Put a 160 in it and turn the fans on at 170.
David
Sitting at a stoplight and a bonehead in a stang wants to run and you dont need the lower coolant temp in stop and go traffic?
Put a 160 in it and turn the fans on at 170.
David
02-18-2008, 08:09 AM
#6
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Key West, Florida
Posts: 3,183
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Sitting at a stoplight and a bonehead in a stang wants to run and you dont need the lower coolant temp in stop and go traffic?
Put a 160 in it and turn the fans on at 170."
well...you don't need the power if there's too much traffic to do any kind of race.
if there was enough room for a race, it probably isn't stop and go traffic.
get my drift.
rush hour in downtown miami is not when i need 5hp more power from a cool engine.
as for the 170 temp for the fans...way too early. like i said, i've watched temps with my scanning software...temps almost never get below 170*...so having the fans turn on then would mean they run 99.9% of the time.
turn the fans on at 190, off at 180 or so.
keeps the engine cooler, without over working the fan system.
last thing you want to do is blow a fan motor...then what ya gonna do?
Put a 160 in it and turn the fans on at 170."
well...you don't need the power if there's too much traffic to do any kind of race.
if there was enough room for a race, it probably isn't stop and go traffic.
get my drift.
rush hour in downtown miami is not when i need 5hp more power from a cool engine.
as for the 170 temp for the fans...way too early. like i said, i've watched temps with my scanning software...temps almost never get below 170*...so having the fans turn on then would mean they run 99.9% of the time.
turn the fans on at 190, off at 180 or so.
keeps the engine cooler, without over working the fan system.
last thing you want to do is blow a fan motor...then what ya gonna do?