Matt Jeschke

What temp thermostat should I get... I posted this once and got very MIXED responses. Some people said going too low will kill the life of the engine cause condensation will not evaporate off of the oil... well I did a little thinking and thought this was stupid cause water doesn't boil until 215 degrees fahrenheit and i know my engine doesn't normally get so hot. water then would evaporate at 160 as well as 180 or whatever temp above that... so could it posibly hurt anything at ALL if i put in a 160 thermostat? What are you guy's experience out there with 160 degree thermostats?? I'm currently running the stock thermostat. THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Water boils at 212 <img src="gr_tounge.gif" border="0">

Honestly though, I prefer 180 stats if you’re going to ever drive the car in temps under 50 degrees. It’s not just about water boiling off, but about heating up the oil enough to flow properly and getting all internal components heated properly to meet clearance specs. There is less friction in hotter oil, but more power in cooler engine temps, so it’s good to find a happy medium.

The Dragon

iTrader: (6)

I've got an SLP 160 un-opened if you wanna buy it. E-mail me and I'll give you a good deal <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

I was gonna put it on my Wife's car, but changed my mind.

Matt Jeschke

SLP Hrm..... I was just goin to pick one up at NAPA or were ever for like 7 bucks or so. how much for your SLP?

So does a 160 thermostat come close/meet that happy medium with an LT1 engine??? I've got the stock water pump and all.... the 160 sure seems to be a popular choice, but just cause everybody else uses it doesn't persuade me <img src="gr_sad.gif" border="0"> I rarely drive in the winter when it's cold... perhaps the coldest weather i drive in is 40 degrees and only a couple times a year. my car gets stored in the winter. Did your 180 make a significant difference in engine temps?

Speartech

iTrader: (14)

Good luck on a NAPA $7.00 thermostat. These engines use very specific 'stats. Not like an old SBC. If you're talking LT1, I think a 160 is the only choice available. The LS1 has a choice of 160 or 180.

LS1derfull

Matt i think smart money would be 180* with stock to mild engine, 160* for hi compression or sharply tuned(LEAN, with more advance) setups.
BUT one thing to think about is water pump uses less power if thermosat is open when making hi rpm passes! That could explain gains with 160 thermo. Also synthetic oil should offset wear potential of colder thermo. <img src="graemlins/gr_xmas.gif" border="0" alt="[santa]" />