160 Degree Thermostat LS3 Void Warranty?
06-27-2009, 03:26 AM
#1
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160 Degree Thermostat LS3 Void Warranty?
If you put a 160 Degree Thermostat in your ls3 vette does it void the warranty? Is it even worth doing? What is the best one to buy?
06-27-2009, 07:31 AM
#2
I don't know about the warrantee, but I would not do it. The computer likes the stock setting. My experience with my 94 is that solution is more cooling capacity, not the thermo. In the 94, going to a Fluidyne radiator took it down from 220 to 198 with stock thermo. My 08 has not overheated, but if I ever have a problem my plan is to try adding a z51 oil cooler first, and then look at a bigger radiator.
06-27-2009, 09:30 AM
#3
Race Director
To take full advantage of a 160° t'stat you need a "tune" to re-set cooling fan on/off/speed settings. Since a tune voids the Warranty you are out of luck.
06-27-2009, 10:40 AM
#6
Burning Brakes
I have a Lingenfelter stat, no tune yet, and it runs at 172 on the highway. I'm not sure if it voids your warranty or not, but I've taken my car in for service to the dealer and they didn't say anything about it.
06-27-2009, 01:31 PM
#7
If he is driving down the road, and his engine pops, or needs a warranty repair, and they discover that thermostat, and/or the fact that it's been tuned, then his warranty is probably history.Thus he'll have to decide for himself if its worth carrying the risk of an out of pocket expense for a new engine, all over a thermostat.
If you have an engine problem, then GM will look at the car closely. And they had better not find out that it was tuned, because if they do, no warranty.
.
Last edited by '06 Quicksilver Z06; 06-27-2009 at 01:37 PM.
06-27-2009, 04:00 PM
#10
Lorena Bobbit cut John Wayne Bobbit's ***** off, and tossed it out the window of her car, and she walked.
O.J. Simpson walked on a double murder charge.
A lot of uncertainties in the American legal system. No case is a slam dunk.
And you're right, its not that cut and dried. How much in legal fees do you have available to gamble with?
Because when you enter the legal system, they don't want to tell you, but thats exactly what you are doing is gambling. How much can you afford to, and are prepared to, lose should the cards happen to not come down your way?
I'm "betting" that GM can afford to lose more than you can, despite their current financial situation. So they might decide to fight....long and hard.
He just might win.
But then again, ...he might not.
And if he doesn't, then who in here is going to reimburse him for all the money he spent on lawyers?
Last edited by '06 Quicksilver Z06; 06-27-2009 at 04:19 PM.
06-27-2009, 04:09 PM
#11
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If you are worried about a warranty, leave it stock. That is not to say that every mod will void your warranty - just the parts that they affect. But you never know when GM or a dealer will decide to make an issue out of something.
06-27-2009, 04:16 PM
#12
Melting Slicks
It's pretty cut and dry. I have been there before with Nissan. The oweness is on GM to prove the mod caused the failure. It takes a while but usually is a win for the consumer.
06-27-2009, 04:17 PM
#13
Melting Slicks
if you can afford a vette and to mod legal fees are nothing really.
What if you don't win? And how long can you pay a lawyer to represent you in such a case?
Lorena Bobbit cut John Wayne Bobbit's ***** off, and she walked.
O.J. Simpson walked on a double murder charge.
Michael Jackson, rest his soul, walked.
A lot of uncertainties in the American legal system. No case is a slam dunk.
And you're right, its not that cut and dried. How much in legal fees do you have available to gamble with?
Because when you enter the legal system, they don't want to tell you, but thats exactly what you are doing is gambling. How much can you afford to, and are prepared to lose should the cards not come down your way?
Exactly. If he thinks he has pockets deep enough to pay up front legal fees, and pay a lawyer over the long haul in a bid to successfully sue GM, well then let him have at it.
He just might win.
But then again, ...he might not.
And if he doesn't, then who in here is going to reimburse him for all the money he spent on lawyers?
Lorena Bobbit cut John Wayne Bobbit's ***** off, and she walked.
O.J. Simpson walked on a double murder charge.
Michael Jackson, rest his soul, walked.
A lot of uncertainties in the American legal system. No case is a slam dunk.
And you're right, its not that cut and dried. How much in legal fees do you have available to gamble with?
Because when you enter the legal system, they don't want to tell you, but thats exactly what you are doing is gambling. How much can you afford to, and are prepared to lose should the cards not come down your way?
Exactly. If he thinks he has pockets deep enough to pay up front legal fees, and pay a lawyer over the long haul in a bid to successfully sue GM, well then let him have at it.
He just might win.
But then again, ...he might not.
And if he doesn't, then who in here is going to reimburse him for all the money he spent on lawyers?
06-27-2009, 04:24 PM
#14
Sure, but why pay legal fees if you don't have to?
On another note, perhaps you have never had to pay legal fees for a case which dragged out over several months.
The "onus" is indeed upon them to prove that the mod caused the failure should you elect to sue them.
What if they do just that? Or better yet, take their time doing it. Meantime your car is sitting and you are paying lawyers up front
Not knowing your situation with Nissan, but had they wanted to, you might have wound up fighting them for a long time.
But again, anyone thinking that they can successfully sue General Motors in a case where a car was modified/hotrodded and then subsequently failed, well then let them go right ahead.
Its their money so let them roll the dice. They can come up seven, or they can come up craps.
Dice don't care who they *****......and the courts don't either.
On another note, perhaps you have never had to pay legal fees for a case which dragged out over several months.
The "onus" is indeed upon them to prove that the mod caused the failure should you elect to sue them.
What if they do just that? Or better yet, take their time doing it. Meantime your car is sitting and you are paying lawyers up front
Not knowing your situation with Nissan, but had they wanted to, you might have wound up fighting them for a long time.
But again, anyone thinking that they can successfully sue General Motors in a case where a car was modified/hotrodded and then subsequently failed, well then let them go right ahead.
Its their money so let them roll the dice. They can come up seven, or they can come up craps.
Dice don't care who they *****......and the courts don't either.
Last edited by '06 Quicksilver Z06; 06-27-2009 at 04:35 PM.
06-27-2009, 04:47 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
Well like I said before this is assuming I have a real case. If I go fi and blow the motor then of course I have no case. But if my timing chain snaps and I have a tune that is a real case gm should warranty.
06-27-2009, 05:29 PM
#16
Drifting
Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez! I am getting SO tired of these threads that seem to pop up EVERY few months! DO A SEARCH!
FACT: a 160 thermo, with no other changes to the ECM, will usually result in highway temps around 180. This is NOT too cool for the engine, will NOT affect emissions or gas mileage, and will NOT void your warranty.
FACT: Adjusting the fan settings, in combination with the 160 thermo, will help stabilize coolant temps in stop & go driving, should have little to no effect on highway cruising temps.
FACT: The 160 thermo will not improve performance all by itself. What it will do is prevent timing being pulled by the ECM when coolant temps exceed 195 degrees. This is especially helpful at the track, and on very hot days.
I have a Lingenfelter thermo, and it works perfectly. I tested it beforehand in a pot of heated coolant, using a digital thermometer. When doing this test, you will notice that the thermo doesn't just pop wide open at 160 degrees, it starts to open very gradually, and at the 180 degree cruising temp, it is only partially open. This is what allows the temps to stay stable. In stop & go driving, airflow to the radiator is reduced, and the thermostat will open wider as the coolant gets hotter.
Sorry to get on a rant here, but I must have posted 25-30 times on this subject, in dozens of threads. All the facts I quoted have been proven over and over again. All the top performance tuners install them along with almost any performance mod.
In my opinion, this is not a worthwhile mod unless you are looking for optimal performance at the track, or if you routinely do a lot of stop & go driving in very hot weather.
FACT: a 160 thermo, with no other changes to the ECM, will usually result in highway temps around 180. This is NOT too cool for the engine, will NOT affect emissions or gas mileage, and will NOT void your warranty.
FACT: Adjusting the fan settings, in combination with the 160 thermo, will help stabilize coolant temps in stop & go driving, should have little to no effect on highway cruising temps.
FACT: The 160 thermo will not improve performance all by itself. What it will do is prevent timing being pulled by the ECM when coolant temps exceed 195 degrees. This is especially helpful at the track, and on very hot days.
I have a Lingenfelter thermo, and it works perfectly. I tested it beforehand in a pot of heated coolant, using a digital thermometer. When doing this test, you will notice that the thermo doesn't just pop wide open at 160 degrees, it starts to open very gradually, and at the 180 degree cruising temp, it is only partially open. This is what allows the temps to stay stable. In stop & go driving, airflow to the radiator is reduced, and the thermostat will open wider as the coolant gets hotter.
Sorry to get on a rant here, but I must have posted 25-30 times on this subject, in dozens of threads. All the facts I quoted have been proven over and over again. All the top performance tuners install them along with almost any performance mod.
In my opinion, this is not a worthwhile mod unless you are looking for optimal performance at the track, or if you routinely do a lot of stop & go driving in very hot weather.
Last edited by HITMAN99; 07-02-2009 at 06:59 PM.
06-27-2009, 08:55 PM
#19
Safety Car
I beleive Lingenfelter makes a 180 degree for the LS3 and I have seen adds for a 170 stat.... Possibly one of those would work for you....
06-27-2009, 11:37 PM
#20
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Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez! I am getting SO tired of these threads that seem to pop up EVERY few months! DO A SEARCH!
FACT: a 160 thermo, with no other changes to the ECM, will usually result in highway temps around 170. This is NOT too cool for the engine, will NOT affect emissions or gas mileage, and will NOT void your warranty.
FACT: a 160 thermo, with no other changes to the ECM, will usually result in highway temps around 170. This is NOT too cool for the engine, will NOT affect emissions or gas mileage, and will NOT void your warranty.
Just the facts man, which btw, are spot on!