1996 vette thermostat question
07-05-2013, 12:15 PM
#2
Team Owner
No.
07-05-2013, 12:19 PM
#3
Team Owner
07-05-2013, 12:41 PM
#4
Instructor
yes, if you have a tune to match it. I ran a 160º for 20+ years in my 89 with no problems and lots of benefits. Ran cooler and better with just a K&N filter, Hypertec II chip (tune) and 160º stat. Their info said the tune would run a better fuel curve if the engine was cooler. That said it was an 89. 96 could be different.
07-05-2013, 01:06 PM
#6
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GM wants a 190* in your car
07-05-2013, 01:07 PM
#7
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yes, if you have a tune to match it. I ran a 160º for 20+ years in my 89 with no problems and lots of benefits. Ran cooler and better with just a K&N filter, Hypertec II chip (tune) and 160º stat. Their info said the tune would run a better fuel curve if the engine was cooler. That said it was an 89. 96 could be different.
07-05-2013, 01:16 PM
#8
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
Do YOU??
It CAN run cooler, b/c the water continues to circulate (and thus, COOL), down to a lower minimum operating temp, which is governed by the T-stat. Provided there is airflow, and the radiator functions properly, it should run at a lower temp.
Is it necessary? No.
It CAN run cooler, b/c the water continues to circulate (and thus, COOL), down to a lower minimum operating temp, which is governed by the T-stat. Provided there is airflow, and the radiator functions properly, it should run at a lower temp.
Is it necessary? No.
07-05-2013, 03:08 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
i use an oem 195 degree thermostat in my 94 and i have never had any overheating issues. the temp needle always hovers around 200 degrees, even in stop and go traffic. last year when the engine coolant temp was raising to an uncomfortable level i started to dig into the issue a little further. i found that i had leaves blocking my radiator and ac condenser. i cleaned them all out and this year i have had no issues what so ever.
07-05-2013, 03:43 PM
#10
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Do YOU??
It CAN run cooler, b/c the water continues to circulate (and thus, COOL), down to a lower minimum operating temp, which is governed by the T-stat. Provided there is airflow, and the radiator functions properly, it should run at a lower temp.
Is it necessary? No.
It CAN run cooler, b/c the water continues to circulate (and thus, COOL), down to a lower minimum operating temp, which is governed by the T-stat. Provided there is airflow, and the radiator functions properly, it should run at a lower temp.
Is it necessary? No.
07-05-2013, 03:48 PM
#11
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07-05-2013, 04:04 PM
#12
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
EDIT: To humor you, I read the article from Corvette Enthusiast. There was nothing in there that I didn't already know, except for a few errors, which didn't surprise me.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; 07-05-2013 at 04:10 PM.
07-05-2013, 04:33 PM
#15
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I certainly do...which is precisely why I said (I'll repeat it again for you)...
THINK about how the system works. If the Tstat opens at a LOWER TEMP, and STAYS OPEN (as you said), how is it not going to cause the engine to run cooler (provided airflow and a good radiator)?
EDIT: To humor you, I read the article from Corvette Enthusiast. There was nothing in there that I didn't already know, except for a few errors, which didn't surprise me.
THINK about how the system works. If the Tstat opens at a LOWER TEMP, and STAYS OPEN (as you said), how is it not going to cause the engine to run cooler (provided airflow and a good radiator)?
EDIT: To humor you, I read the article from Corvette Enthusiast. There was nothing in there that I didn't already know, except for a few errors, which didn't surprise me.
07-05-2013, 04:33 PM
#16
Instructor
Once warm, most of the time the car stays very close to the thermostat temp or + 5°, so 160-165° in my case. It still went over 225º on the hottest days, especially during prolonged idle, but took a lot longer to get there so it was like an added buffer. Never had a problem in the cold. Always warmed as normal to thermostat temp. Definitely had more power and ran better with the chip.
07-05-2013, 06:16 PM
#17
Team Owner
Pro Mechanic
^This guy^ "Get's it"
Not if the radiator and air flow are sufficient.
That is right 
Sticking to just the T-stat segment,
1. At 160*, condensed moinsture won't boil off.
*Moisture evaporates. It evaporates at any temperature...and does so very rapidly at 160*F and more so with windage.
*If the coolant temp is 160* (which it will be somewhat warmer with a properly working 160 stat, since a 160 stat begins to open at 160*), oil temp is likely warmer. Oil typically runs warmer than coolant and it is the coolant that cools the oil.
*180 isn't boiling temp either...and neither is 195.
2. "Although most thermostats are reliable, the fail fully closed..."
No. In fact, in my 20+ years of working on machinery and cars, I've yet to see a T-stat fail closed. (I know they do...haven't seen one yet). All failures that I have seen have been open or partially open. So...they can and do fail open.
3. Author states that T-stat is "wide open all the time"
*No way he can state that as there are WAY too many variables. The author is eliminating many variables by narrowing the scope of his article to C3 'Vettes, but still, air temp, cooling system condition, and car options have major roles as well.
Here is the crux of our issue. You think the car will run "what ever temp it wants to" after the T-stat opens. I disagree and only feel that is the case when air flow is insufficient (stopped/idling), cooling system is insufficient, or ambient temps are extreme.
Cars are (obviously) designed with a margine of safety in the cooling system; the system isn't "maxed out" at 90*F, light throttle. It's designed to meet the operating criteria under heavy loads in places like Death Valley and Yuma Az. Therefore, when most of us are cruising down the road at legal speeds in "regular weather" (I'd consider that to be UP TO 100*F), the car should have a large margin, and be able to drive the coolant temps down to the T-stat opening point with adequate air flow. Every GM car that *I* have owned could do this -even with modified motors, and the '92 LT1 that I currently have is no different. It has a stock stat and will run ~185 in SLC UT summers. In fact, sometimes the stat is slow to close and the temp will hit lows of ~176*. If I put in a 160, that ~185 would go down. What the T-stat can't do is change you MAX operating temps; airflow does that (assuming properly operating cooling system) and that is controlled by fans at low speeds, so ~230*.
Sticking to just the T-stat segment,
1. At 160*, condensed moinsture won't boil off.
*Moisture evaporates. It evaporates at any temperature...and does so very rapidly at 160*F and more so with windage.
*If the coolant temp is 160* (which it will be somewhat warmer with a properly working 160 stat, since a 160 stat begins to open at 160*), oil temp is likely warmer. Oil typically runs warmer than coolant and it is the coolant that cools the oil.
*180 isn't boiling temp either...and neither is 195.
2. "Although most thermostats are reliable, the fail fully closed..."
No. In fact, in my 20+ years of working on machinery and cars, I've yet to see a T-stat fail closed. (I know they do...haven't seen one yet). All failures that I have seen have been open or partially open. So...they can and do fail open.
3. Author states that T-stat is "wide open all the time"
*No way he can state that as there are WAY too many variables. The author is eliminating many variables by narrowing the scope of his article to C3 'Vettes, but still, air temp, cooling system condition, and car options have major roles as well.
Here is the crux of our issue. You think the car will run "what ever temp it wants to" after the T-stat opens. I disagree and only feel that is the case when air flow is insufficient (stopped/idling), cooling system is insufficient, or ambient temps are extreme.
Cars are (obviously) designed with a margine of safety in the cooling system; the system isn't "maxed out" at 90*F, light throttle. It's designed to meet the operating criteria under heavy loads in places like Death Valley and Yuma Az. Therefore, when most of us are cruising down the road at legal speeds in "regular weather" (I'd consider that to be UP TO 100*F), the car should have a large margin, and be able to drive the coolant temps down to the T-stat opening point with adequate air flow. Every GM car that *I* have owned could do this -even with modified motors, and the '92 LT1 that I currently have is no different. It has a stock stat and will run ~185 in SLC UT summers. In fact, sometimes the stat is slow to close and the temp will hit lows of ~176*. If I put in a 160, that ~185 would go down. What the T-stat can't do is change you MAX operating temps; airflow does that (assuming properly operating cooling system) and that is controlled by fans at low speeds, so ~230*.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; 07-05-2013 at 06:28 PM.
07-05-2013, 06:32 PM
#18
There is nothing wrong running an L98 up to 230F, but I did install a 180 t-stat and programmed the ECM to command the main fan on at 210 and off at 185. I did this mostly to have a cooler engine while dyno tuning so I don't have to wait too long between pulls.
In stop and go traffic your temp will reach a little more than whatever temp you have your fans set at regardless of the thermostat temp. Now cruising is a different story. I had a bad EGR but didn't realize it till I pulled the engine because I never hit temps to command EGR on, passed smog too.
In stop and go traffic your temp will reach a little more than whatever temp you have your fans set at regardless of the thermostat temp. Now cruising is a different story. I had a bad EGR but didn't realize it till I pulled the engine because I never hit temps to command EGR on, passed smog too.
07-05-2013, 06:33 PM
#19
Race Director
My LT1/160* stat runs ~178* on the highway. In 100* weather it might reach 180-82*. From what I remeber with the stock 180* stat it was ~188-90*.
07-05-2013, 07:39 PM
#20
Instructor
I had a problem once where it ran 20° too hot all the time. Now when your use to seeing 165° and get 185°, you think bad thermostat - no. Took a while to realize the EGR stuck part open. Just one to keep in mind if you have no other symptom but running a bit hot.