160 degree thermostat
160 degree thermostat i currently have a stock bottem end ls1 with a ms4 cam and ported and polished ls6 heads and some other stuff. it made 470 rwhp and i just wanted to know if i should get a 160 thermostat. i really have no idea if i should or shouldnt so let me know what you guys think please
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24,241
Likes: 89
From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
the previous owner put one in my car and it seems normal....i am getting a digital temp gauge so i can see actual temps instead of my idiot light. it doesn't seem to take abnormally long to warm up..........
180 at most. With a 160, my coolant temps stay low but my oil temps were high as ****. With a 180 my coolant is around 180, but my oil temps are down 20-30 degrees to ~200. All those number are with an EWP.
Jon
Jon
There are two schools of thought. One is that you want to keep the block warm because then the heat from combustion is then used to push the piston and not warm the block, but you don't want to get too hot to where you start to detonate.
With aluminum heads and block, you're safe if you stay under 200 degrees, which the stock t-stat with slightly lower fan settings is perfect, which is what I did. My low fan kicks on at 190, and both fans come on at 200 and rarely ever does the second fan kick on, maybe if I'm stuck in traffic for long periods of time, but it then shuts off as soon as I start rolling.
The problem with going too cool is that you won't get complete combustion at lower temps and you'll start to build up carbon on top of your pistons.
With aluminum heads and block, you're safe if you stay under 200 degrees, which the stock t-stat with slightly lower fan settings is perfect, which is what I did. My low fan kicks on at 190, and both fans come on at 200 and rarely ever does the second fan kick on, maybe if I'm stuck in traffic for long periods of time, but it then shuts off as soon as I start rolling.
The problem with going too cool is that you won't get complete combustion at lower temps and you'll start to build up carbon on top of your pistons.
"The thermostat does next to nothing without proper fan compensation tune, or manual switch, Good Luck!"
yeah...except for any time the car is MOVING
i've had 3 cars with 160 stats...and only my 99 has ever had the fans tuned earlier than stock.
yet every day i could visually see the temperatures lower than what stock was.
with stock fan settings...and a 160 stat...the whole system functions just as the factory intended...which is pretty reasonable.
so altered fans is NOT required by any means
yeah...except for any time the car is MOVING
i've had 3 cars with 160 stats...and only my 99 has ever had the fans tuned earlier than stock.
yet every day i could visually see the temperatures lower than what stock was.
with stock fan settings...and a 160 stat...the whole system functions just as the factory intended...which is pretty reasonable.
so altered fans is NOT required by any means
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Verdad Gallardo According to my gauges your overall engine temps will be lower with the 180. True, the coolant will be cooler with the 160 but the coolant doesn't effectively cool the block, since the thermostat hardly ever closes.
Like I said previously my oil temps were always 230-240 degrees with the 160. Now with the 180 thermostat it the oil stays around 200. While high oil temps aren't always a bad thing, this means that the colling system is working effectively and everything other than the coolant will be hotter, e.g., heads and intake.
Jon
Launching!
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada
"The thermostat does next to nothing without proper fan compensation tune, or manual switch, Good Luck!"
yeah...except for any time the car is MOVING
i've had 3 cars with 160 stats...and only my 99 has ever had the fans tuned earlier than stock.
yet every day i could visually see the temperatures lower than what stock was.
with stock fan settings...and a 160 stat...the whole system functions just as the factory intended...which is pretty reasonable.
so altered fans is NOT required by any means
yeah...except for any time the car is MOVING
i've had 3 cars with 160 stats...and only my 99 has ever had the fans tuned earlier than stock.
yet every day i could visually see the temperatures lower than what stock was.
with stock fan settings...and a 160 stat...the whole system functions just as the factory intended...which is pretty reasonable.
so altered fans is NOT required by any means
I Stand Corrected 
