Thermostat
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From: NE Ohio
Thermostat
Sorry to inquire about this, I did a search but wasn't able to find the answer so here goes: My car is a 98 model, I think there are two thermostat options (180 & 160). I live in Ohio so temps are not to the extremes of the south, but we still do get some very hot days. I have noticed over the last few days that the car seems to be running in the 215-225 range. I feel it runs much better when it's below 200, around 185 seems best. So I want to change the factory thermostat, should I go with a 180 or 160? Secondly how can I get the fans reprogramed without spending 350.00 on a hypertech? when you factor that in I almost feel the most cost effective thing to do is to just change the stat so it starts to cool the motor with water flow quicker? Your thoughts and wisdom are greatly appreciated.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: The warm part of Anger Island
St. Jude Donor '09
I can't find anything either but I remember post from quite a while ago. Correct me if I'm wrong but don't the fan settings (turn on points) have to be changed in order for a lower degree thermostat to be effective?
A lower degree thermostat will keep water int he radiator longer to give it more time to exchange heat. Would this not be any good in stop and go traffic etc. if there was no air flow over the radiator?
I'm thinking of this myself.... Anybody know the for sure answer?
A lower degree thermostat will keep water int he radiator longer to give it more time to exchange heat. Would this not be any good in stop and go traffic etc. if there was no air flow over the radiator?
I'm thinking of this myself.... Anybody know the for sure answer?
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From: NE Ohio
True, for this to be "totally" successful you would need to lower the fan "kick on" temp, but if the only way to do that is $350.00 for a hypertech or a for a professional shop to do it (probably more than 350) then with the exception of the stop and go traffic you would still benifit from the lower stat. Don't get me wrong I would like to get the stat and fans done, but it looks like it could become an expensive mod?
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Anaheim Hills, Ca
The 160 stat doesn't keep the water in the radiator longer, if anything it'll let it pass through quicker. The 160 opens "sooner" than the stock 190. The problem is that even though the stat is wide open, the fluid is not cooling because of the lack of air going past the radiator. That's why we need to kick the fans on sooner. At highway speeds, this is not a problem.
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
A Hayden fan controller can be bought at any Pep boys for 49 dollars.
it is the same unit as the Vinci fan controller but without the specific wire lengths to accommodate a C5...it has a thermostat that goes into the radiator fins, a hot wire a ground wire a feed wire...to the fans.
you can buy a Vinci fan controller for about 149 dollars with specific instructions for a C5 install. a thermostat only controls how cols an engine will get... it controls the low range not the high range.. if you put a 50 F thermostat in your car it would open at 50 degrees and continue to climb until the radiator was successful enough to remove the heat.... if it was -20 outside and the water temp started to approach 50 degrees the stat would close and not allow the coolant to get any colder..
going to a 160 stat will allow you to lower your fan setting below 190 f.
which would help to keep the car cooler in stop and go traffic, on days when you didnt have the ac on.. with the ac on the fans come on by themself./.. without the ac on the fans shut down at 35 mph
it is the same unit as the Vinci fan controller but without the specific wire lengths to accommodate a C5...it has a thermostat that goes into the radiator fins, a hot wire a ground wire a feed wire...to the fans.
you can buy a Vinci fan controller for about 149 dollars with specific instructions for a C5 install. a thermostat only controls how cols an engine will get... it controls the low range not the high range.. if you put a 50 F thermostat in your car it would open at 50 degrees and continue to climb until the radiator was successful enough to remove the heat.... if it was -20 outside and the water temp started to approach 50 degrees the stat would close and not allow the coolant to get any colder..
going to a 160 stat will allow you to lower your fan setting below 190 f.
which would help to keep the car cooler in stop and go traffic, on days when you didnt have the ac on.. with the ac on the fans come on by themself./.. without the ac on the fans shut down at 35 mph
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From: NE Ohio
Evil-Twin,
Thanks for the reply, from the searching I did, I know your a very knowledgable person regarding this issue. I appreciate the lead on the other means to lower the temp that the fans kick on at without the hypertech purchase, but that sounds a little "rigged"? so I guess I would pay the money for the hypertech or a unit like the hypertech. Would you recommend the 160 over the 180 stat? and in your post are saying that whenever the AC is turned on the fans come on at the same time? kinda like a hot wire to the fans?
Thanks for the reply, from the searching I did, I know your a very knowledgable person regarding this issue. I appreciate the lead on the other means to lower the temp that the fans kick on at without the hypertech purchase, but that sounds a little "rigged"? so I guess I would pay the money for the hypertech or a unit like the hypertech. Would you recommend the 160 over the 180 stat? and in your post are saying that whenever the AC is turned on the fans come on at the same time? kinda like a hot wire to the fans?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: NE OH
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
I just went through this same kinda process in my head; based mostly on Evil-Twin comments on this topic over last few months, I decided not to go for lower temp thermo. I thought about doing the quick thermo change for varying seasons but since we have 2004 (different thermo-housing) I woulda have to have got housing + thermo to do the "quick-change, mininal coolant loss" drill. Not worth it for the minimal HP gained during summer cuz, well, anytime I do something mechanical I usually goon it up no matter how simple; most likely woulda ended up with coolant over everything.
I'm in NE Ohio (and drive occasionally in winter) so if you do decide to go lower temp thermo and you're in this area check out www.hutterracing.com. I had them re-set mine (fan temps) last week when I decided not to switch thermos and I needed the tune I had done 2 weeks ago (at another place; at that time I thought I was going lower thermo so had them adjust fans accordingly) adjusted for fan temps and they did it for insignificant cost. Good people.
Anyway, PM me for any further info/questions.
I'm in NE Ohio (and drive occasionally in winter) so if you do decide to go lower temp thermo and you're in this area check out www.hutterracing.com. I had them re-set mine (fan temps) last week when I decided not to switch thermos and I needed the tune I had done 2 weeks ago (at another place; at that time I thought I was going lower thermo so had them adjust fans accordingly) adjusted for fan temps and they did it for insignificant cost. Good people.
Anyway, PM me for any further info/questions.
Last edited by BudgetPlan1; May 11, 2006 at 06:08 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: The warm part of Anger Island
St. Jude Donor '09
Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
A Hayden fan controller can be bought at any Pep boys for 49 dollars.
it is the same unit as the Vinci fan controller but without the specific wire lengths to accommodate a C5...it has a thermostat that goes into the radiator fins, a hot wire a ground wire a feed wire...to the fans.
you can buy a Vinci fan controller for about 149 dollars with specific instructions for a C5 install. a thermostat only controls how cols an engine will get... it controls the low range not the high range.. if you put a 50 F thermostat in your car it would open at 50 degrees and continue to climb until the radiator was successful enough to remove the heat.... if it was -20 outside and the water temp started to approach 50 degrees the stat would close and not allow the coolant to get any colder..
going to a 160 stat will allow you to lower your fan setting below 190 f.
which would help to keep the car cooler in stop and go traffic, on days when you didnt have the ac on.. with the ac on the fans come on by themself./.. without the ac on the fans shut down at 35 mph
it is the same unit as the Vinci fan controller but without the specific wire lengths to accommodate a C5...it has a thermostat that goes into the radiator fins, a hot wire a ground wire a feed wire...to the fans.
you can buy a Vinci fan controller for about 149 dollars with specific instructions for a C5 install. a thermostat only controls how cols an engine will get... it controls the low range not the high range.. if you put a 50 F thermostat in your car it would open at 50 degrees and continue to climb until the radiator was successful enough to remove the heat.... if it was -20 outside and the water temp started to approach 50 degrees the stat would close and not allow the coolant to get any colder..
going to a 160 stat will allow you to lower your fan setting below 190 f.
which would help to keep the car cooler in stop and go traffic, on days when you didnt have the ac on.. with the ac on the fans come on by themself./.. without the ac on the fans shut down at 35 mph
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
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From: Hells Sister City Phoenix AZ
St. Jude Donor '03
I too have considered a thermostat but this weekend I took off my radiator support and hosed out the radiator. I got a huge pile of leaves, feathers, dirt, etc out of the radiator. I regularly vacuum and hose out the a/c condensor but you don't get to the radiator w/o taking the radiator support. Mine is running 10-15 degrees cooler on the norm and doesn't seem to heat up as quickly. It will still get up to 220-225 degrees in stop and go but it's also 100 degrees outside right now here in AZ.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 58,551
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From: The warm part of Anger Island
St. Jude Donor '09
Since I have not heavily modded the car.. or done anything more than a blackwing and air bridge replacement, I'm leaving my thermostat and fan settings stock to save any possible hassle for now. I'll pull the radiator support and clean out the radiator area this weekend, though. 
Good thread.
Good thread.
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Joined: Jun 2005
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From: NE Ohio
ok I've done some more reading and I think I'm going to go with the 160at least for the summer months. I also found a shop that can set my fans pretty cheap. So now my questions is what temp do set the the low and high fan speeds to come on at? and at what temp should they shut off? Man back in the day this was never a concern, just change the stat and you were done. Sometimes technology sucks!!