does a 160* stat really help that much?

[uno]

I was thinking about putting one in...Is it really worth it? opinions please

[RedbirdV6]

I would go with a 180 and fan switch but thats just my opinion, the thermo alone wont do anything for ya :D

[TrikdOuTbyrd]

programming the pcm wont do anything for when the thermostat should open, the thermostat opens when the wax inside of it melts, it is not hooked up to your computer. each thermostat has a different value and opens up at different tested temperatures. on a 160 degree stat it opens up when the engine temperature is around 160 degrees and lets the coolant flow through.....

i think using a 160 stat, (from my own experiance)the coolant must be changed more frequantly than the stock 180 degree stat that comes with 98+ fbodies.

[Skullcamaro]

The 160 degree t-stat is great, especially in hot/humid weather. I have the hypertech t-stat in my car. All it does is allow the flow of coolant at a lower tempreature. It doesn't affect the temp at which your fan turns on. If you want that then you need to get a programmer such as HPP3 or Jet's power programmer or you could also get a manual fan switch which greatly helps reduce temps while sitting in traffic.

[strobhen]

TrikdOuTbyrd, we all know the thermostat is mechanical and is not controlled by the computer. [img]smile.gif[/img]

The thermostat alone will not make a difference, it can help to reduce detonation when you put something like a jet chip in the car (or some other pcm tuner that advances timing)

Personally, I don't think it is worth the money, I had one, it got stuck open, replaced w/ stock, ran the jet chip and it still worked just fine [img]smile.gif[/img]

If you do get a manual fan switch, be careful, I have seen plenty of people discharge their battery running those things.

I think there are much better spots to spend money, oil or tranny cooler, ram air, etc.

Later

[Skullcamaro]

I personally am going to be adding a electric remote mount water pump that will be controlled by a little panel that will be located by the diver seat. That way I can make sure which temp I want it to run at without the worry of discharging my battery or running hot,etc. Plus it frees up some 15-30 hp, because of the reduce load on the drivebelt and engine overall. Just some food for thought if your serious about controlling the temp of your car.

[Justin96Bird]

where are you getting this electric water pump, and what are you going to do with the belt just buy a smaller one? i'm interested in this mod.

[OneQuickV6]

Just thought I'd throw something out in case anyone was unclear of what a thermostat does...It doesn't control the temp your car runs at, it just controls the MINIMUM temperature. Most people belive it controls the max, but it's not so.

[TheBeast]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by uno:
I was thinking about putting one in...Is it really worth it? opinions please<hr></blockquote>

No, if all you want is lower operating temps install a fan switch. Installing a 160* t-stat you will only see the engine run near that while on a open highway @ ~70mph on a cool day...are you really worried about performance then?

[uno]

ok so fan switch it is
cool
that's what i wanted was both sides and to weigh them....thanx for the help

[strange_trp]

180 with a fan switch.
just changing the stat wont do a thing except at cruising speeds for long distances where you have a natural airflow over radiator. in city, you'll still get up to around 200 before the cooling fans will turn on.
this has been debated ad nauseum. my position is that 180 is plenty, 160 may be too much and you don't see that much gain from 180 to 160. but you need a fan switching device that will turn cooling fans on earlier to get full effect.

[Dominic]

Facts:

#1 - The 160 stat is fine, but our radiators are SEVERELY undersized.
#2 - The thermostat is controlled by a spring which loosens as the temperature goes up around it allowing the waterpressure to press the valve open and flow.
#3 - The stat is NOT fully open at 160, it is fully open at 175-180, it barely begins to crack at 160.
#4 - If the radiator was large enough to begin with, the thermostat (like in many cars) would actually control the watertemperature of your engine. However, See #1.
#5 - Running the fans continuously to cool the engine is a cheapa$$ way of getting around the "undersized radiator" problem. I don't like the idea, and so I'm not installing a fan-switch.
#6 - It was proven in 1930, and it still holds true today, that the efficiency of an engine can be INCREASED by having a larger delta-temp (difference in temperature) between the non firing cyl temp, and the firing cyl temp. Therefore, the hotter you can have the engine FIRE, and the QUICKER you can cool off the cyl before the next explosion, the more power you will make for each explosion - This also results in HIGHER fuel economy.

[ April 18, 2002: Message edited by: TheCardinal ]</p>

[Skullcamaro]

The electric waterpump that I got was a CSI electric remote mount water pump with temp gauge/controller. You have two options, you can either disable the stock waterpump and remove the pulley and get a shorter belt and reroute all the waterpump lines to the new remote mount one.or you can leave the belt on the way it is and just reroute all the hose connections to the new remote mount one. Either way you'll get better cooling and better performance.

[MrCoffee]

I actully have a question. Is it possable to trigger any ses lights or anything with a 160 degree thermo... I just got mine in, and am gonna install it over the weekend. I was just wondering about the pcm and whatnot. the instructions also say to drain the antifreeze, is that necessary too? and if so does it mean ALL of it?

[WickEdSix9838]

I put a 5 dollar 180* in my 98(stock is 95*) and it helped my car! not a whole lot, but its worth the $5 and 15min putting it in, you need the fan switch if you get the t-stat, but dont buy a $70 dollar one from SLP, make one, go to LS1.com and look at the mods section, thats where i got instructions for mine, it cost about $7..