Car ran at 195 before stat and after the stat its at 170-174. Thats good enough for me seeing as I have my air dam off (press in threaded bushing fell out of frame) and you cant see through the A/C condenser due to sooo much crap in it. Here is where my fans were set......
1st fan on 167
1st fan off 160
2nd fan on 170
2nd fan off 164
These are the fan settings that were already there from when the car was tuned by Kelley Cheverolet in FL. I think I need to clean out my condenser and radiator to get the temp down a little more.

 

Question is, WHY do you want the temps any lower than 190's?

What are your oil temps? If they're not hitting 200, you will create more problems than any perceived benefit of cooler operating temps.

An engine that never fully warms up is short-lived.

 

Everyone is really concerned about oil temps.. I have a 172 stat in Florida.. In the Winter.. 50 Degrees and lower my car runs at 175ish.. My oil temps consistantly hit 200-201 So I am not worried...

Anyway.. I just feel better that I don't have a fireball under hood... 180 in the 95 degree heat makes mme happy and my engine likes it..

 

i doubt u will go this cold without an aftermarket radiator but dont go any colder than 190

 

My oil temp was at 195 but I was just cruising around for 20 minutes. What is the difference between these engines and the thousands of others that run colder? All my other Vehicles run at 170-180? Is it the condensation that builds up in the engine? Im sure running at 174 is enought to burn it out. Please explain further, I will just set my fans to come on later so the engine will get a little warmer.

 

174 degrees is plenty hot to evaporate moisture... Anyone who thinks differently.. Try putting your hand in it..

 

"old-school" train of thought is cooler temps = more power.
In the case of older engines, this is true. With an aluminum (heat sink) intake manifold, cooler is better. The root goal of desiring cooler temps is to reduce the IAT (Intake Air Temperature). If you feed the engine with colder air, it will make more power.

Thing is, these LSx engines use plastic intake ducting, and plastic intake manifolds....they don't soak heat like older engines. So, unless on the verge of overheating (240+), there really isn't much benefit to running the engine cooler. Throw a cold-air intake on a 230 degree LSx engine, and it will probably make more power than an underhood (hot air) filter on a 170 degree engine.

Now oil...even synthetics, will create sludge if not heated enough to burn off off any accumulated condensation. 200 degrees seems to be the popular temp that people agree this "burning off" event occurs. If you constantly drive short trips, and never fully warm the engine up to these emps, OR, try to keep the engine cool enough that it never reaches this point, you will start building sludge in your engine....eventually to the point it restricts and/or blocks oil flow to the intended components. This is a very common root cause of failure in "old engines", ask any engine builder.

So...I still throw out the question, why do you think 200 degree temps are bad, and what do you think you gain by running cooler than that?

 

Track times and timeslips show me going slower at 220 degrees. My airdam fell off, and the car was running hot after a pass. I would lose 4 tenths if I went back through again w/o letting the car cool.

 

You allways open a can of worms with this thread

Everybody has an opinion...most are...well, you know.

Here's mine: From many LS1's on dyno's, max power is usually made when the coolant temp is at/about 180, and oil temp higher. A 160 stat will work with the stock radiator for the street to keep you in the sweet spot, but not for racing. IMHO the fan temps you are using are too low, it will be running the fan all the time. I use 180/170 and 190/180.

Running an LS1 a LITTLE cooler than stock (170 to 190) will allow you to maximize your spark advance and make more power without detonation. It will keep your oil temp lower also, so the PCM will recommend oil changes a little sooner. Since I change the oil @ 5,000 miles anyway, its a worthwhile tradeoff for me. No, this doesn't keep your engine in cold, open loop , it goes closed loop WAY cooler than that.

 

I agree...... Thanks for the fan setting advise, the setting now were already like that with a stock stat? I have no clue why they programmed them to come on sooo soon?

Thanks

 

The best way to program the fans is to determine your static Temps.. These are the temps that you show while driving at a consistant highway speed... Say..50mph..

For example..if you see a static temp of 180 Degrees.... Then set the fans a few degrees higher than that.. This way you are assured of having the fans turn off..

 

If it's too cold the computer might not go into closed loop mode... it thinks you're still 'warming up'

 

One reason for running lower Engine Coolant Temps (ECT) is to hinder knock in higher compression engines. I run a 160 *TStat and NGK TR-6s in the summer (TR-55s in winter). My static compression ratio is around 11.5:1.


Why don't you call Ed Potter at Lingenfelter and see what their profesional opinion is on "New School" LS1/LS6 engines and ECT??

 

Stock Closed Loop Enable Temp, above -10*C Intake Air Temp, is usually 34*C.
160*F TStat = 71*C.
FWIW.

 

OOPs, sorry 6Speeder. I missed your post .
Real world speaks !

 

[QUOTE=SCannon]Car ran at 195 before stat and after the stat its at 170-174.]
How is this possible? I ran 160 thermo in my Z28 and have moved to 180 F in the Vette, the Thermostat is closed below these temps to warm up coolant faster but after they reach operating temp they should open. From that point on car should run 190-200 as the thermo should have no effect at highway speeds. The reason I run slightly lower than stock is for cooler short burst runs at the drag strip,cooling car between runs,however it is prob only good for 1/10 sec. even then.
If you live in very cold area your temps may not reach operating temps on extremly cold days!
Tom (in Hot Hurricane state of Florida)

 

Fans would not be on all the time because the PCM shuts the fans OFF above 35 MPH so the lower thermostat and fan setting are a positive for low speed and idle and does not cause the water/oil to run too cold at speed.

 

WOW, that's new information for me.

 

I don't know if this is anything to think of, But I notice the best gas mileage and the SOTP feeling is when the temp hit 187-189. Lower temp it look like it useing more gas and feel a little slugest.

 

At those temps (under 212) you'll never evaporate any condensation/moisture that might build up inside the oil system/pan etc.

IMO, its imperative to get your oil temp over 212 now and then, if not always.

..rickko..