Thermostat temp question
Thermostat temp question Im currently running a 160 thermostat. It seems there has been a debate on what the best temp to run is. Can someone school me on this subject
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 51
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From: Edmonton, AB, Canada
You'll never get a straight answer.
I just put one in my car (1996 Z28) and from what I gather...
If you don't reprogram the fans, it is pointless.
I reprogrammed my fans and it runs noticeably cooler. And no, the fans don't run all the time. The only time I notice them running more is at idle sometimes but not all the time.
I also read that some tuners won't tune cars unless it has a 160 thermostat in it. Could be true, I am not sure as I have a stock tune and plan on keeping it that way.
I didn't notice any difference in performance, but it for certain runs cooler. The reason I put it in was because on very hot days the temperature crept up pretty high and I just didn't like that. Now it doesn't.
And the stock LT1 thermostat is a 180 so it isn't that much of a stretch to go to 160.
Here is a good article on the LT1 cooling system.
http://www.fierolt1.com/lt1_cool.htm
I just put one in my car (1996 Z28) and from what I gather...
If you don't reprogram the fans, it is pointless.
I reprogrammed my fans and it runs noticeably cooler. And no, the fans don't run all the time. The only time I notice them running more is at idle sometimes but not all the time.
I also read that some tuners won't tune cars unless it has a 160 thermostat in it. Could be true, I am not sure as I have a stock tune and plan on keeping it that way.
I didn't notice any difference in performance, but it for certain runs cooler. The reason I put it in was because on very hot days the temperature crept up pretty high and I just didn't like that. Now it doesn't.
And the stock LT1 thermostat is a 180 so it isn't that much of a stretch to go to 160.
Here is a good article on the LT1 cooling system.
http://www.fierolt1.com/lt1_cool.htm
That was a pretty good article but my motor is pretty far from stock. I have a 160 now and Im about to put a new one in. wondering if I should go with another 160 or a stock one.
There's other pieces to the 160 stat question. For the LTx, since it runs coolant reverse flow through the heads then though the block, you get colder coolant cooling the combustion chambers, preventing detonation on high compression builds and keeping the charge cooler. You should also do the throttle body bypass which stops coolant from going through the throttle body, stock that was put there to warm up the incoming air on cold days to get it up to temp quicker and better for emissions, not required for performance.
You'll notice newer cars are running hotter and hotter stock, this is for emissions. In school in Internal Combustion Engines class, they teach how if coolant is too cold (like a 160 stat vs a 210 stat) and you are low RPM, you lose some of the combustion energy through the cylinder walls to the coolant before it can fully expand into mechanical rotation. This applies to the old sbc where coolant went through the block first, on the LTx this may not apply since it gets warmed in the heads first, but it was interesting. So most engines running through the block first, keeping coolant warmer leaves less of a delta T from the combustion event to the cylinder walls, helping low rpm performance and therefore helping emissions.
You'll notice newer cars are running hotter and hotter stock, this is for emissions. In school in Internal Combustion Engines class, they teach how if coolant is too cold (like a 160 stat vs a 210 stat) and you are low RPM, you lose some of the combustion energy through the cylinder walls to the coolant before it can fully expand into mechanical rotation. This applies to the old sbc where coolant went through the block first, on the LTx this may not apply since it gets warmed in the heads first, but it was interesting. So most engines running through the block first, keeping coolant warmer leaves less of a delta T from the combustion event to the cylinder walls, helping low rpm performance and therefore helping emissions.
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