160 0r 180?

[borispeed]

I am thinking to replace the thermostat. What's better, the 180 or the 160 degree?

[L36Camaro]

The 180, because unless you have programmed your computer the 160 will be too cold and it will set off the SES light.
Just put on the 180 and a manual fan switch for the best results. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[99v6cam]

if its hot where you live all the time get 160. if it gets cold you may have a problem with the ses light as said above. I live in florida and have a 160 and I do just fine [img]smile.gif[/img]

[01MaroIL]

how hard is it to install a 180 thermo and manual fan switch???

[99v6cam]

thermo is a piece of cake, not sure about the switch though, i dont have one

[98Camaro3.8]

Look for manual fan switch instructions, there's a step by step list here with pictures. Search for "xious".

[Fredless]

I have a 180 drilled stat from ZZP and I'm in florida. Love it, it just takes a bit longer to heat up now..especially back in winter.

It only runs about 5-10* cooler now on the interstate, once you get in traffic though, right back up to 210.

[navyblue2000]

Although it's been discussed, I'll shed some knowledge...

do NOT get a 160* thermostat if you have a later 01 or ANY 02.

There are better ways, albeit probably more expensive, of helping out your cooling system then just plugging and chugging with a 160* thermostat.

Here's what I have found works best - Mind you, I live in cincinnati Ohio, where it gets to 100*+ in the summer time and -20 at points in the winter.

First - Change your coolant mixture. I ran 75/25 water/coolant ratio to help with the efficiency. The little bit of coolant kept water from boiling (or help keep the temp down), and also the coolant works as a rust inhibitor - water on iron heads will rust out over time).

Second - Manual fan switch. I wouldn't bother with a 50 dollar one, I used 6 bucks of materials and put up with the SES light whenever it might have come on.

That being said, I ran a manual fan switch, 75/25 coolant and a 180* thermostat, and unless I was in a traffic jam in the middle of the summer, I never got above 170-172* on a nice spring/fall day cruising with the fan switch on, it'd hardly go past 160. (autotap logging)

hope that helps.

[95Batmobile]

^^^ word. 160 = bad. 180 is just fine. My car sits at about 170 when moving on a cool day. My fans come on at 200 and cool it back down to about 175-180..

I think with a 160 your car will stay in open loop mode or something like that which is bad for mileage. Open or closed loop, I can't remember.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally posted by 95Batmobile:
^^^ word. 160 = bad. 180 is just fine. My car sits at about 170 when moving on a cool day. My fans come on at 200 and cool it back down to about 175-180..

I think with a 160 your car will stay in open loop mode or something like that which is bad for mileage. Open or closed loop, I can't remember.

Open loop because the engine will not get hot enough to begin to read from the 02 Sensors... and it will totally KILL your MPG as you will ALWAYS be running rich...

Look at it this way... Whatever MPG you're getting now, cut it in half and thats about what you'll get...

[99v6cam]

it never gets cold here so I never have that problem, the coldest it gets is like 30 and thats rare [img]smile.gif[/img]

[borispeed]

Thank you so much guys for your help. I will get an 180.

[borispeed]

One more thing. Some of you said that an 160 will be bad for 01 & 02's. The mine one is 99. Is it bad anyway?

[navyblue2000]

there's something in the PCM on the 01's and 02's that for some reason when the thermostat opens that early, it causes the fans to go apenuts, SES light comes on...and I think it yanks timing like a mother.