Questions about colder thermostats

[Rob@USC]

I'm going to get a colder thermostat soon.

Question 1) I've read they lower gas milage - I'm in college (a.k.a., not much money to be throwing around). Is it really noticable or not? I can pull 30 or so mpg on back roads from home to school (thank you 3.08's...), so if I loose 2 mpg or so, I don't really care.

Question 2) What thermostat do most people run? I live in SC, so it's not like I need a hot thermo except for maybe 2 months out of the year max, and I can go back to stock then if it's too cold.

Question 3) Say for some reason my parents drive my car, and forget to turn on the fans (or I just forget to turn on the fans). Will it damage the engine/radiator/anything else to run with a cooler thermostat and not turn on the fans at a cooler temp?

Question 4 [I guess it's an extension on question 3]) How can you tell when to turn on the fans? The thermometer in the dash isn't exactly accurate, so how do you know when? Will it damage anything to run them constantly when the car's on or to turn them on early?

Sorry about the long list of questions, I just wanted to know everything before I jumped into this and messed up something.

Rob

P.S.
If you can think of anything else a person paranoid about messing up their car should have asked but forgot, feel free to give your input.

[magic1872]

Rob, first off relax is just a Thermostat.

1. I personally don't think you will notice that much of a gas mileage difference (I didn't when I put my 180* thermostat in)

2. Your car comes stock with a 195* thermostat, I run 180* if you go lower you will probably need a resister to put somewhere so you don't get an SES light. (Who ever knows more about that help me out)

3.Unless you have the manual fan switch mod your fans only come on whtn you run your AC or you engine temp get over 220 I think it is (Correct meif im wrong) So I would worry to much about that. Putting a lower thermostat in your car dose not make your fans come on any sooner. A lower thermostat is the minimum temp your car will run at. Meaning when your car hits 180* your thermostat opens and allows your collent to run through your radiator. If you go with a 160 same thing happens just at 160*

4. Like I said earlier they come on at 220 if your car overheats or your AC is on or you have a manual fan switch. Don't think it will damage anything to have them run all the time, might get an SES light but I'm not sure

Hope that help, and to everyone else if anything is incorrect please correct it so Rob and myself can learn.

[Dominic]

Question 1) You will get better fuel economy or no change. My 02 Camaro gets better fuel economy on the highway running the 160.

Question 2) I would run no higher than a 180. You would be fine with a 160 year round.

Question 3) No, the fans will kickon normally and it will run 210 or so in traffic like stock. You're fine.

Question 4 You can turn the fans on whenever you feel the car is running hotter than it should. I have noticed with the a/c off I can run the car right down to 160F at idle, but with the a/c on she sits in the 180-195 region even with the fans on high. Just a tip in case you dragrace. The worst thing you can do is wear a fan out prematurely, but I've never seen that happen before on one of these cars.

[Rob@USC]

Thanks for clearing all that up. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Rob