This doesn't get discussed much from what Ive seen and im curious where everyone is at on their operating temperature of their cammed cars. Are you guys running stock like temperatures, cooler or significantly cooler?

 

I have the stock thermostat, so 210?

 

never gets above 170

 

On 99 TA always says 210 by the gauge regardless of set up thanks to the computer controlled gauge.

• Stock
• Bolt On's w/160 thermostat & fans on at 190
• heads cam & intake
• 416 stroker
• 416 stroker w/Dewitt's radiator with double stock radiator cooling capacity

My 1991 RS with an actual working temperature gauge says 160 to 170 with a 383 LS1 stroker and stock radiator.

My stock 02 Z28 always shows 210 after car warms up.

 

Most people who mod their car run a cooler stat so the car is going to run cooler.

 

160 stat here in the 434. Runs 180 all day.

 

Stockish engine temps in all my setups. I think my Iron 376 has a 160 stat and the fans are tuned for it but it still gets about as hot as a stock aluminum 5.7 with it's restrictive exhaust and added compression. Higher dynamic compression builds heat faster than just aggressive cam timing alone. I've never found much power messing around with the ECT. If anything a heat soaked engine is probably more consistent at the track as I've hot lapped within a 0.01 of a sec without turning it off. Now if you want to see an improvement on your heat soaked engine, leave it hot and get that IAT to come down a significant amount and you'll find some real horsepower!