What thermostat does everybody use?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: I'm bleeding, making me the victor!
What thermostat does everybody use?
What type and temperature t-stat is everybody running and what temp does the engine 'run' at? Right now I have a 180 degree cheapo Advance stat and the engine runs about 190. I used to use a Robertshaw and I can't tell any difference between it and the 'stock' one.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 233
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From: algonac michigan
my car is just for summer cruising, no winter weather
i use full flow 165 deg.
it stays cool, seems to be more stable needle on gauge
doesnt climb up and drop off like it did w/ a stock 180
R.
i use full flow 165 deg.
it stays cool, seems to be more stable needle on gauge
doesnt climb up and drop off like it did w/ a stock 180
R.
Last edited by 76REDSTINGER; Sep 6, 2004 at 10:54 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I use the type that fail in the open position and it is a 180 degree. My car runs right on 180 degrees when cruising.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
I did alot of testing on thermostats. Every other day I would change my thermostat, one day in, one day out. I also monitor each head temperature. My twin electric fans are also manually controled, each one has it's own relay/switch.
I found without a thermostat the heads ran more even temperature, especially after shutting down hot for about 5 minutes and then restarting and driving, the passengers head came down in temp quicker to match the drivers head which always seemed to run a little cooler.
I also found without a thermostat I didn't need to turn on any fans on the highway to maintain about 185 temperature where I feel most comfortable running. In town I use one fan and on hot hot days 2 in town.
With a thermostat I can't get away without a fan on the open road and if I try the temperature creeps to 200 before I know it.
I only run in nice weather, no winter driving.
So after at least a dozen thermostat changes I settled on NO thermostat.
I found without a thermostat the heads ran more even temperature, especially after shutting down hot for about 5 minutes and then restarting and driving, the passengers head came down in temp quicker to match the drivers head which always seemed to run a little cooler.
I also found without a thermostat I didn't need to turn on any fans on the highway to maintain about 185 temperature where I feel most comfortable running. In town I use one fan and on hot hot days 2 in town.
With a thermostat I can't get away without a fan on the open road and if I try the temperature creeps to 200 before I know it.
I only run in nice weather, no winter driving.
So after at least a dozen thermostat changes I settled on NO thermostat.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
The purpose of the thermostat is to get the engine up to operating temp. ASAP, as fast as possible, etc. Regulates the lowest temp.
SB in general 180 is best esp. if you run in the winter. Some of us run a hole in the thermostat.
BB generates a lot of heat & can run 160 or none for example.
SB in general 180 is best esp. if you run in the winter. Some of us run a hole in the thermostat.
BB generates a lot of heat & can run 160 or none for example.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
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From: Orange Park Florida
Yeh, Ganey is right of course, and so I found that not being able to buy the older style larger flow diameter t-stats anymore, I just drilled 4 holes around the perimeter, actually in 'winter' here in Florida, that's too many, should be about 2 holes...
at any rate, the smaller diamter flow restriction plates used today only allow for about 195F operation nothing cooler, so that's why the holes...get that flow up there....
GENE
at any rate, the smaller diamter flow restriction plates used today only allow for about 195F operation nothing cooler, so that's why the holes...get that flow up there....
GENE
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 116
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From: Naples FL
Hmmmm 180 huh? I'm so glad this question was asked! I thought it was typical of my corvette to run hottter then other 350's because of the airflow (or lack of airflow) in the corvette styling. My temp gauge gets up to about 205 - 210 before it cools down to about 190-195. Highway driving seems to bring it down a little more, I'm guessing because of more air passing through the radiator. I'm thinking I should check to see what t-stat I have. Maybe I should just replace it when I have it open. My Radiator and fan clutch are both about a year old.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
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From: Surrey
Winter in Florida? That's got my imagination going 
I run a 180 stat with a couple of small holes drilled in it. I briefly tried a 160 but didn't get on with it. The coolant seemed to run at a bit of a low temp and, as well as the computer griping about it ('81), I was thinking that the motor has done 70 000 miles running at 195* so dropping it down to 160* may not be such a good thing (OK, the charge density may be higher, more power, etc, but what about the lubrication issues when running at a lower temp? Clearances due to expansion of dissimilar metals?). 180 seems like a good compromise to me. Besides, the performance gained by going to a 160 stat could probably be duplicated by my staying with a 180 stat & not eating as many Jaffa cakes & choc chip cookies
I run a 180 stat with a couple of small holes drilled in it. I briefly tried a 160 but didn't get on with it. The coolant seemed to run at a bit of a low temp and, as well as the computer griping about it ('81), I was thinking that the motor has done 70 000 miles running at 195* so dropping it down to 160* may not be such a good thing (OK, the charge density may be higher, more power, etc, but what about the lubrication issues when running at a lower temp? Clearances due to expansion of dissimilar metals?). 180 seems like a good compromise to me. Besides, the performance gained by going to a 160 stat could probably be duplicated by my staying with a 180 stat & not eating as many Jaffa cakes & choc chip cookies
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: I'm bleeding, making me the victor!
Ok...I noticed a couple of folks metioned having a hole(s) in the t-stat. I have heard of this to help removed trapped air in a system but what other advantage does it have? What size hole are we talking about? Which part is the hole drilled in?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,407
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From: Carmichael CA
Cheapest way to cool your engine is to remove the T-stat...I found that with a T-stat it took 2 minutes to get my engine to 160ºF and without one it took 5 minutes. A stuck T-stat can destroy an engine, so I suffer the extra 3 minutes of inconvenience for the safety of my engine.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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The stuck T stat problem is non existent if you actually buy a QUALITY thermostat, one that remains OPEN when it fails. That's why I'm running the volvo ones. They are about the most rugged stat out there and those swedes know about engine warmup in the climate they live in.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Orange Park Florida
TT may well be right about the volvo stats but he's in Europe, and so they are just generic here....as all others....
thing is, I recall, the larger flow diamter rings are only available on the 160f stats these days....you need check that out...
the differance is like 1 inch even to 1 1/8 inch...close....but drilling the holes makes it up, IF the thing is calibrated to 180f, which all of them are calibrated upward these days, for EPA reasons.....
take a new stat and put it in boiling water with a digital temp probe, and note when it opens and closes....you will find the 160f stats are really 180f, and the 180f are really 195f, and the 195's are hotter yet, too boot anyting but the 160fs have a flow restricting small hole/flange....hense if the valve itself opens and closes in my desired range....180f.....I drill holes, and it's right for the cars.....
case closed, been there doing this for too many years, maybe my memory as to what/when/exact changes is a bit off, but not the overall affect of these changes....and yes, they have changed production over the years....not that any of them will admit it....
GENE
thing is, I recall, the larger flow diamter rings are only available on the 160f stats these days....you need check that out...
the differance is like 1 inch even to 1 1/8 inch...close....but drilling the holes makes it up, IF the thing is calibrated to 180f, which all of them are calibrated upward these days, for EPA reasons.....
take a new stat and put it in boiling water with a digital temp probe, and note when it opens and closes....you will find the 160f stats are really 180f, and the 180f are really 195f, and the 195's are hotter yet, too boot anyting but the 160fs have a flow restricting small hole/flange....hense if the valve itself opens and closes in my desired range....180f.....I drill holes, and it's right for the cars.....
case closed, been there doing this for too many years, maybe my memory as to what/when/exact changes is a bit off, but not the overall affect of these changes....and yes, they have changed production over the years....not that any of them will admit it....
GENE
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,362
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From: San Antonio TX
Twin okay so the Volvo ones are the best now do they make one that will bolt into our housings? And if so would you by chance have a part number or something so we could find one.
Thank you so much for the info.
Thank you so much for the info.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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They will probably fit the standard housing with some machining but I have never tried, before the thing you see above I was running a C&R thermostat housing w/ bypass that also had a Volvo unit in it. Don't have a part number, I just go to the volvo dealership and get what they have, I started using the volvo ones because that's what came in my C&R unit and I've stuck with them. They are pretty different from the stockers, here's what they roughly look like:
If you have access to a machine shop it would be pretty straightforward to whip up a small housing to bolt between your manifold and existing thermostat housing
If you have access to a machine shop it would be pretty straightforward to whip up a small housing to bolt between your manifold and existing thermostat housing
Last edited by Twin_Turbo; Sep 7, 2004 at 04:47 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
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From: Gulf of America
2023 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Have been running a 195 degree year round with no problems. I also drive my car during the winter providing the roads are clear. Max I see during summer is 200 degrees during the high speed stuff. Seems on my car, the 180 is a tad too cold.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,411
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From: Wylie TX
MotoRad makes a thermo that fails open:
http://www.motoradusa.com/products/f...rmo/index.html
I found them at O'Reillys under the "Murray" name, but they are the same. I paid $7.50 for mine. It took about 6 months (and 1 Dallas summer) for it to fail open and my engine temps are normally 190 and never get over 210.
I'm going to go with another one, but if it fails quickly again, I'm going back to the conventional tstat.
http://www.motoradusa.com/products/f...rmo/index.html
I found them at O'Reillys under the "Murray" name, but they are the same. I paid $7.50 for mine. It took about 6 months (and 1 Dallas summer) for it to fail open and my engine temps are normally 190 and never get over 210.
I'm going to go with another one, but if it fails quickly again, I'm going back to the conventional tstat.