Cooler thermostat
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 184
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From: Pleasantville, Ohio
Cooler thermostat I was talking to one of the mechanics in our garage yesterday and he suggested putting a cooler stat in my MC, (190 degree or so) I used to run 165 stats in my older non-computer brain cars but never messed with these newer cars,.. Do any of you run a cooler stat??
I was going to run one, but as you mentioned, these cars already have a 185-190 degree t-stat. In talking to several mechanics, I've been told there's no benefit to going to a 160, and you might even lose some fuel economy and have trouble with emissions.
Also, if you did go ahead and do this, you'd need to get a tune that lowers the fan turn-on temp. Otherwise, it's a complete waste of time.
Edit: The above info applies to near-stock or bolt-on car. Obviously, 2005gxp's car is a bit more modified, and I'm sure he benefits from a 160 t-stat due to his turbo and stuff.
Also, if you did go ahead and do this, you'd need to get a tune that lowers the fan turn-on temp. Otherwise, it's a complete waste of time.
Edit: The above info applies to near-stock or bolt-on car. Obviously, 2005gxp's car is a bit more modified, and I'm sure he benefits from a 160 t-stat due to his turbo and stuff.
Hotter engines produce power more efficiently. You run afoul of this when your hot engine is causing predetonation or heating the intake air/ combustion chamber and thus lowering the air/fuel density mixture. The happy zone is the highest temp you can handle before the above issues start limiting you. If that zone requires you to use a lower thermostat then that's what you do.
Since it's highly unlikely you'll find anyone who has done a dyno pull or track run with the only change being the thermostat, it's all going to be circumstantial anecdotes as to what's better for stock or better with a cam change or tune.
You go with the highest temp before predetonation is a very good rule though. Engines are little more than heat pumps and any heat lost into the block is heat not doing any work. Cooler thermostats increase this heat loss, but the idea being it might allow for denser air/fuel mixtures without detonation.
Since it's highly unlikely you'll find anyone who has done a dyno pull or track run with the only change being the thermostat, it's all going to be circumstantial anecdotes as to what's better for stock or better with a cam change or tune.
You go with the highest temp before predetonation is a very good rule though. Engines are little more than heat pumps and any heat lost into the block is heat not doing any work. Cooler thermostats increase this heat loss, but the idea being it might allow for denser air/fuel mixtures without detonation.
TECH Regular
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 446
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From: Farmington Hills, MI
The fans won't turn on below 192 or so after programing (over 200 stock), so running a cooler thermostat is not going to change the engine's operating temps in warm weather. It will make the engine take a while longer to come up to full operating temperature in the winter.
Personally, I've never seen my engine temps dip back under 187 and cause the thermostat to close, and I'm a bit farther North than you are. If that is also the case with your engine, then you would see no benefit from switching to a 160.
Personally, I've never seen my engine temps dip back under 187 and cause the thermostat to close, and I'm a bit farther North than you are. If that is also the case with your engine, then you would see no benefit from switching to a 160.
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Hotter engines produce power more efficiently. You run afoul of this when your hot engine is causing predetonation or heating the intake air/ combustion chamber and thus lowering the air/fuel density mixture. The happy zone is the highest temp you can handle before the above issues start limiting you. If that zone requires you to use a lower thermostat then that's what you do.
Since it's highly unlikely you'll find anyone who has done a dyno pull or track run with the only change being the thermostat, it's all going to be circumstantial anecdotes as to what's better for stock or better with a cam change or tune.
You go with the highest temp before predetonation is a very good rule though. Engines are little more than heat pumps and any heat lost into the block is heat not doing any work. Cooler thermostats increase this heat loss, but the idea being it might allow for denser air/fuel mixtures without detonation.
Since it's highly unlikely you'll find anyone who has done a dyno pull or track run with the only change being the thermostat, it's all going to be circumstantial anecdotes as to what's better for stock or better with a cam change or tune.
You go with the highest temp before predetonation is a very good rule though. Engines are little more than heat pumps and any heat lost into the block is heat not doing any work. Cooler thermostats increase this heat loss, but the idea being it might allow for denser air/fuel mixtures without detonation.
