160 Thermostat??
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,589
Likes: 1
From: St. Louis MO
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
I fail to understand how the thermostat opening earlier would effect the engine after its up to running temp. I see how it would take longer to get there. After 190 wouldn't you get the same effect in just the reprogramming of the fans?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
I would leave it alone. At most I would only go down to a 180. The hotter temps helps the combustions process and lowering the stat will take away some of the engines thermal efficiency.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 480
Likes: 17
From: Wichita KS
I have a 04 Z and was wondering if I leave in the oem stat would a programmable wiring kit or having a tune to adjust the fans do any good in helping it run a little cooler? What would you suggest.
Jim
Jim
Pro
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 682
Likes: 0
From: Calgary Alberta
Now there's a good question, and the answer is yes. Program the on/off values for the fans as posted above. You'll like the way the car runs when you're in city traffic. Ask around, or post on the EFILive / HPT forum for someone in your area to do it for you. Might cost you a beer, and you'll probably find a new friend.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
You can do it with a programmer hand held one like Hypertech or the Diablo, Jet etc.
Other option is to have a dyno shop hook up your computer to reprogram the fans to come on earlier.
It's something that is required to be done on the on board computer system. If you are to do it yourself you will need a lap top computer knowledge and a program like LS1 edit etc. Cheaper to get a handheld programmer for your year Vette. Some for sale on the forums for sale site if not make a post for a "proven" used one.
Thanks,Matt
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,182
Likes: 4,178
From: Kannapolis NC
Keep in mind what I'm about to say applies to idling and traffic driving. Don't program the fans cooler than the oem therm or they will run all the time. They don't run at all on the open road and the thermo won't make any difference either. Again, it's the air flow from forward motion once you're up to speed. Since you asked originally for opinion, leave the stock thermo and fan set up as is. Unless you're overheating in traffic or at idle. Every time a question comes up about BSMs, someone always says take em off like the engineers intended. I say do the same for the thermo and fan settings. (ps. I like BSM's too)
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 16,477
Likes: 26
From: Gone
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
Unfortunately, fuel economy and emissions standards dictated what the actual temps were ultimately set at.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,334
Likes: 4
From: Midland TX
I don't think you will see any significant improvement.
Installing a cold air intake (either taking air from the radiator shroud or from the fog light area) will do much more to make HP.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 5
From: The 7th layer of hell - Western Washington
Don't know how much weight this holds, or if it was a fluke. But I actually made more power/torque throughout the mid and upper RPM's on the second run of back to back dyno runs when engine and coolant temps were higher.
My car seems to be happiest right around 200 degrees oil temp. Coolant temps will fluctuate too far and often for me to really think that putting in a lower rated temp thromostat will have any appreciable advantage...
My car seems to be happiest right around 200 degrees oil temp. Coolant temps will fluctuate too far and often for me to really think that putting in a lower rated temp thromostat will have any appreciable advantage...
Pro
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 682
Likes: 0
From: Calgary Alberta
Just to add a data point, on a stock thermostat at 75*F ambient, my vertible runs 205*F oil & 190* coolant on the highway, but the coolant wants to rocket in stop and go traffic. Thus the fan 198/194* and 202/198* settings.
I've converted these from our Celcius values for our Southern brethern.
I've converted these from our Celcius values for our Southern brethern.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: Louisville KY
I haven't had my corvette for all that long but I can say that mine runs rich when the outside (and therefor the engine) temp is very low. This leads me to believe that I am not getting full combustion due to the lower temps. It would make sense for the opposite to happen due to the denser cold air but that's just not the case. (It's cammed as well not that that helps the running rich in the cold)
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,387
Likes: 691
From: Boise ID
Don't know how much weight this holds, or if it was a fluke. But I actually made more power/torque throughout the mid and upper RPM's on the second run of back to back dyno runs when engine and coolant temps were higher.
My car seems to be happiest right around 200 degrees oil temp. Coolant temps will fluctuate too far and often for me to really think that putting in a lower rated temp thromostat will have any appreciable advantage...
My car seems to be happiest right around 200 degrees oil temp. Coolant temps will fluctuate too far and often for me to really think that putting in a lower rated temp thromostat will have any appreciable advantage...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 5
From: The 7th layer of hell - Western Washington
I have seen 240+ with no issues what so ever - keep in mind that was during a commute that took 4 hours to go 8 miles. Temp would creep up slowly and only stay there a second before dropping back down to the 210 range...
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 616
Likes: 0
From: Vancleave Ms.
At the track, I saw a big advantage with cooler temps...the last time I went, my car never cooled down below 210 and my mph was 107. My last pass I let it cool for several hours to about 120 degrees and by the time I did my burnout and staged the temps were around 160. I trapped 110 on that pass. I was told later on that the computer retards timing if temps go above 210 or so. So I could see an advantage to resetting the fans and replacing the thermostat at the track or heavy city traffic . James
I guess I should add I have a totally stock car and desire to change the thermostat and fan settings to keep temps down at the track so my timing does not get retarded.
I guess I should add I have a totally stock car and desire to change the thermostat and fan settings to keep temps down at the track so my timing does not get retarded.
Last edited by mean lx; Feb 14, 2007 at 10:57 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 931
Likes: 35
From: Rowlett, Texas
I think the biggest improvement is to program the fans to come on sooner when in slow traffic. Stock setting is 228 before the first fan turns on. Then it cools down to about 215, shuts off, and starts heating up again.
I programmed mine to come on at 200 and off at 190.
Then I tweaked my thermo to about 185. Now, it cycles between 190 - 200 in heavy traffice, even on the hottest Texas days.
I 'm sure these engines will live at 228, but I can't see any possible good in that if it can so easily be avoided.
DG
I programmed mine to come on at 200 and off at 190.
Then I tweaked my thermo to about 185. Now, it cycles between 190 - 200 in heavy traffice, even on the hottest Texas days.
I 'm sure these engines will live at 228, but I can't see any possible good in that if it can so easily be avoided.
DG
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Going back to the original question in the thread. It won't hurt anything..but like others have said, you would need to re-program the fans to come on earlier anyway to make any kind of difference.
Changing the T-stat alone IMO, is not worth it... I did it , but that is because I changed Cam/heads/headers and had a full dyno tune..so changing the T-stat could help compliment the other mods by helping the engine run cooler...and the adjustment in timing with a larger Cam etc...
For what it's worth, in the heat of the summer, 98 degrees, stop and go traffic.... the hottest my Oil Temp got to was about 199-212 , and the hottest the coolant got was 185-190. My fans are set:
Fan 1- on at 175
Fan 2 on at 185-190 I believe
Changing the T-stat alone IMO, is not worth it... I did it , but that is because I changed Cam/heads/headers and had a full dyno tune..so changing the T-stat could help compliment the other mods by helping the engine run cooler...and the adjustment in timing with a larger Cam etc...
For what it's worth, in the heat of the summer, 98 degrees, stop and go traffic.... the hottest my Oil Temp got to was about 199-212 , and the hottest the coolant got was 185-190. My fans are set:
Fan 1- on at 175
Fan 2 on at 185-190 I believe
Last edited by FrankTank; Feb 14, 2007 at 06:39 PM.