Lower temp thermostat - bad idea?
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Austin/San Marcos TX
Coolant temps are an indication of engine temp.
Cooler your engine=the cooler the intake temp=cooler the air is while it is inside of your cyl=more air in your cyl because its more dense=more power
Now depending on the tune of the engine/design of an engine, it could indeed produce more power at higher temps.
If you want to compare this, look at dyno's of the same exact engine dynoed at different temps. There will be a difference. Maybe you will find that some LS1's make more power at higher temps, maybe you will find some LS1's that make more power at lower temps.
Like previously stated, GM designs their engines for the average expected buyer. The average expected buyer doesnt modify the engine, so the stock thermostat/tune is ideal for them. This takes into account performance, efficiency, and longevity. Performance is the easiest to test for, efficiency is fairly easy to calculate, and lastly longevity is difficult to calculate.
Aftermarket products focus on one thing, performance.
Want to know which Tstat will give your engine the best performance, have your tuner compare the performance of your engine at different temps. You can probably talk him into doing this for free or cheap when you take your car in to get it tuned after a cam/header etc install.
Want to know which Tstat will give your engine the best longevity? Do some in depth research, you'll probably find out that its the oem t stat
Cooler your engine=the cooler the intake temp=cooler the air is while it is inside of your cyl=more air in your cyl because its more dense=more power
Now depending on the tune of the engine/design of an engine, it could indeed produce more power at higher temps.
If you want to compare this, look at dyno's of the same exact engine dynoed at different temps. There will be a difference. Maybe you will find that some LS1's make more power at higher temps, maybe you will find some LS1's that make more power at lower temps.
Like previously stated, GM designs their engines for the average expected buyer. The average expected buyer doesnt modify the engine, so the stock thermostat/tune is ideal for them. This takes into account performance, efficiency, and longevity. Performance is the easiest to test for, efficiency is fairly easy to calculate, and lastly longevity is difficult to calculate.
Aftermarket products focus on one thing, performance.
Want to know which Tstat will give your engine the best performance, have your tuner compare the performance of your engine at different temps. You can probably talk him into doing this for free or cheap when you take your car in to get it tuned after a cam/header etc install.
Want to know which Tstat will give your engine the best longevity? Do some in depth research, you'll probably find out that its the oem t stat
Last edited by stope; Jan 7, 2006 at 01:25 AM.
Life Time NCM #2196
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 82,596
Likes: 1,711
From: Converse TX
When my car was stock it ran mostly 196 and maybe 210 in traffic and that was fine to me. Now that I went FI and over 700 rwhp I put in the 160 stat and a DeWitts radiator to help keep my engine cool. My car now runs in the 180's and durning the last high 90s I got stuck in traffic with the AC on it still got 210 and I was ok with that. Now if I did not put in a new radiator my temps would have been much higher. Once I started moving my temps returned to the 180's. So stock you can leave it alone as far as my experience goes and for sure changing the stat and radiator when going FI as I did for insurance on the expense I put out 
