It's only 11pm at the latest in the US lol 
Stock thermostat for LT1
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From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
Not true whatsoever. By itself, the only effect is that the car takes longer to warm up. However when used in conjunction with aftermarked PCM coolant fan programming or a fan switch, it can keep temps down significantly.
Once the thermostat is open coolant flows. Once it starts flowing it's going to continue to heat up until the heat is exchanged by the cooling fans/radiator.
Once the thermostat is open coolant flows. Once it starts flowing it's going to continue to heat up until the heat is exchanged by the cooling fans/radiator.
Now, I'm not saying Caprice was agreeing with me totally, as I'm clearly the one he's implying is an ignorant kid (which I'm neither, and it's odd he never mentions his age, funny huh?). And I'm in no way implying that a lower TStat is going to provide 1000hp, or even 20hp, but in conjunction with other mods it will help quite a bit. I have yet to install my 160, but since I anticipated installing one I preset my fans to turn on lower (which clearly wasn't low enough according to Tony Shephard, he glanced over it) and with them turning on @ 180F and 190F respectively, my running temp is down to 192-198F. Typical LT1s run 225-235F, so just doing fans dropped the temp, which is only part of the mod in installing a lower TStat. So with that, had I installed the 160, my temps would be much lower. Now please (myltwon) don't try to tell me that a TStat won't lower your temps any, it's just not true. Yea, if the fans don't turn on, it'll run just as hot as a stock Tstat or even a 195.
Do the mod, or don't do the mod, it all doesn't matter to me. Similarly, believe me or not, makes little difference on my side. If running a hot motor, having hot air in it and hot fuel as well was of little consequence, then drag racers wouldn't ice down their motors between runs. Nor would they specifically make a fuel cooler that pumps your fuel through a canister that you can put dry ice in.
we were talking about installing a thermo, resetting the fan settings was not part of the original discussion, the point you were trying make was based soley on the thermostat itself
I was never trying to make the point that a 160 thermo will make or break a car, just saying it's not a real mod like many people new to car modding mistake it for. yes it ALLOWS the car to operate cooler but that is in conjunction with pcm tuning
I was never trying to make the point that a 160 thermo will make or break a car, just saying it's not a real mod like many people new to car modding mistake it for. yes it ALLOWS the car to operate cooler but that is in conjunction with pcm tuning
A stock stat is 180 and the car operates in the 190s as seen by the pcm, but somehow your feeble mind gets hung up on the stat rating and sees a 40 degree drop from a 20 degree stat temp change????? You are not exhibiting competent ration thought, just trying to blindly reenforce your baseless opinion.
what I meant is with the factory fan settings the stock thermostat is better suited, and with the factory fan settings a 160 thermo does nothing but prolong the warmup of the car (not by any great means whatsoever). the motor will continue to increase in heat once the thermo opens up at the same rate no matter what thermostat you have installed until the fans turn on
with coinciding pcm tuning you can reap whatever benefits a 160 thermo has to offer
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From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
Then I apologize as I was under the impression it was common knowledge for vehicles with computer controlled fans (or even sensor controlled) to adjust them relative to the TStat temp being used. With that being said, I was basing my discussion around them being a hand-in-hand mod.
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From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
When i switched thermostats and the tuned pcm for the thermostat i noticed a big difference in temp at the track while sitting in staging. Otherwise the difference in the city and highway wasnt all that much.
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Verdad Gallardo TECH Senior Member
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From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
Assuming you're making back to back runs, but are sitting in the staging lane, it's not much different than city driving. Light to light might be longer in city, but you make that up by doing a 1/4mi @ WOT.
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Holland Twp/Milford, New Jersey
A while back, I read somewhere that some guy tried to prove this T-stat myth by lowering intake charge temps. He did this by taking an LT1 motor and doing consecutive dyno pulls on the factory t-stat: one pull with factory equipment, and one pull with the intake freezing with dry ice. I don't remember any specifics, but the final conclusion was no gain in horsepower. I wish I had a link. Maybe someone can find it with Google.
check your coolant level, if all of a sudden u lose heat the level is probably too low, happens all the time
12 Second Club
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Mechanicsville, VA
My two cents, every LT1 Ive ever had likes to run extremely hot period. Unless you force the engine to run cooler (t-stat, fans, pump, etc.) it will operate anywhere from 180 to what looks like 240-250 to me. My '96 in avatar when stock would run mid 13s @ 160* or below, and as slow as 14.4 @ 200*+ so whoever doesnt believe a cooler running engine runs faster is retarded. Never been impressed with "reverse cooling".
I know Im bringing this back from the dead...but I just got a '94 Z....anybody have the Stant part # for a 160 stat??
I know Im bringing this back from the dead...but I just got a '94 Z....anybody have the Stant part # for a 160 stat??
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2011
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Theres no negative effects of a 160 deg thermostat. It will keep the car cooler. A cooler running car will make more power. You dont need a tune for a cooler thermostat. And to Ltwon who said "all it does is take the car longer to warm up" hahaa one of the dumbest things ive ever heard.
Teching In
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Tstat convo Well guys. The guy is right when he says the engine will never get to operating Temp with 160. I just bought 93 transam, and ran 160 for 3 months. ( Cooler months tho) and I think I damaged engine ticks now and might have rod knock. I put 180 in and it runs better.engine spins nice. I think lt1 really runs better in hot 190-200 range. But in hot summer months engine might need 160 just to keep it at 190
Thanks for bringing back a 5 year old thread. But while we are on the subject, the main reason I have a 160 is to lower the temp of the heads to avoid detonation on an above stock compression motor. Don't know if its true or not but it makes sense to me.
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From: Kernersville, NC
With the stock 180* stat and a stock LT1, at a steady state cruise of ~60mph, the engine temp will hang around 190*.
Ever since my cam swap, my overall temp was around 200* at cruise. Ran that for a couple of years until I put in a 160* stat. My temps dropped to around 180* for steady state cruise. One of the best things I've ever done to the car.
To my understanding, a 160* stat will not hurt anything but emissions.
There is no way that a 160* stat will cause rod knock.....unless maybe it fails closed and you overheat the engine in a bad way.
Ever since my cam swap, my overall temp was around 200* at cruise. Ran that for a couple of years until I put in a 160* stat. My temps dropped to around 180* for steady state cruise. One of the best things I've ever done to the car.
To my understanding, a 160* stat will not hurt anything but emissions.
There is no way that a 160* stat will cause rod knock.....unless maybe it fails closed and you overheat the engine in a bad way.
