160 Thermostat??
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Instructor
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Firestone Colorado
160 Thermostat??
What are your opinions on installing a 160 thermostat in an 01 ZO6? Is it worth it, will it make a power diff? Will it hurt anything? I hear of people making their own, what dose that involve?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
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From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
If you do do it you will want to have the fans progreammed to come on earlier than they are set at stock!
Otherwise it will not do you any good! Basicaly it will keep all cooler thus making the air more dense which in turn produces more HP for the motor. More air and denser air equals better combustion. If it's to hot the air is thin and does not perform as well, less air molecules of oxygen in a cubic foot of air when things are hot more when it is cooler.
Hope this helps it's just a quick easy explanation!
Thanks,Matt
Otherwise it will not do you any good! Basicaly it will keep all cooler thus making the air more dense which in turn produces more HP for the motor. More air and denser air equals better combustion. If it's to hot the air is thin and does not perform as well, less air molecules of oxygen in a cubic foot of air when things are hot more when it is cooler.
Hope this helps it's just a quick easy explanation!
Thanks,Matt
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 347
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From: Chicago Heights ILLINOIS
I did it to my '98 and also reprogrammed the fans to turn on earlier.It runs a little cooler in the summertime. I noticed that in heavy traffic-stop&go- in the summertime is where there is a distinct advantage to the 160 thermostat.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Kannapolis NC
Since you asked for OPINION, save your money. I don't see how sometimes making engine run cooler in traffic would make the intake air any cooler or denser. The fans cut off at highway speed and the cooling is done by air flowing through the radiator. If the thermostat opens at 160 or 190 makes no difference to the airflow or coolant circulation after your thermostat opens. You'll still run around 190 to 200 on the road. That's just my OPINION. If you try it, post what happens, hardly anyone follows up with whether it was worth it after it's done.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Gone
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
The normal window of temps on a stock car, is approx. 195 on the highway, and up to about 230 when idling or in traffic.
With 160 Tstat, and reprogrammed fan setpoints, mine now runs 175 on the highways, and maxes out at 195 in traffic.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Torrance CA
I've done it, and here's my opinion.
The normal window of temps on a stock car, is approx. 195 on the highway, and up to about 230 when idling or in traffic.
With 160 Tstat, and reprogrammed fan setpoints, mine now runs 175 on the highways, and maxes out at 195 in traffic.
The normal window of temps on a stock car, is approx. 195 on the highway, and up to about 230 when idling or in traffic.
With 160 Tstat, and reprogrammed fan setpoints, mine now runs 175 on the highways, and maxes out at 195 in traffic.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,188
Likes: 4,178
From: Kannapolis NC
Just so I can learn, why would it now read 175 on the highway if the fan cuts off at 185? The thermostat only controls the minimum temp, not the max. Also, was I mislead when told that once you get up to highway speeds the fans are always off? I'd honestly like to understand the logic, but my lack of knowledge limits me.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 389
Likes: 1
From: Roswell GA
If you do do it you will want to have the fans progreammed to come on earlier than they are set at stock!
Otherwise it will not do you any good! Basicaly it will keep all cooler thus making the air more dense which in turn produces more HP for the motor. More air and denser air equals better combustion. If it's to hot the air is thin and does not perform as well, less air molecules of oxygen in a cubic foot of air when things are hot more when it is cooler.
Hope this helps it's just a quick easy explanation!
Thanks,Matt
Otherwise it will not do you any good! Basicaly it will keep all cooler thus making the air more dense which in turn produces more HP for the motor. More air and denser air equals better combustion. If it's to hot the air is thin and does not perform as well, less air molecules of oxygen in a cubic foot of air when things are hot more when it is cooler.
Hope this helps it's just a quick easy explanation!
Thanks,Matt
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 16,477
Likes: 26
From: Gone
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
Just so I can learn, why would it now read 175 on the highway if the fan cuts off at 185? The thermostat only controls the minimum temp, not the max. Also, was I mislead when told that once you get up to highway speeds the fans are always off? I'd honestly like to understand the logic, but my lack of knowledge limits me.
I imagine if I took the car out today in 15 degree temps, the highway temps might be a little less.
Once the Tstat is open, and the car is moving, the efficiency of the radiator takes over. If it is efficient enough, and/or the ambient air temp is cold enough, you very well might be bouncing off the Tstat, as it will be openng/closing to struggle to maintain a warm enough temp.
Also remember the Tstat rating is just a nominal value. You may find a 160 actually opens at 170, or 172...most of them seem to be a little underrated. Another reason a 160 is nothing to be afraid of running "too cold" with.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,702
Likes: 1
I've done it, and here's my opinion.
The normal window of temps on a stock car, is approx. 195 on the highway, and up to about 230 when idling or in traffic.
With 160 Tstat, and reprogrammed fan setpoints, mine now runs 175 on the highways, and maxes out at 195 in traffic.
The normal window of temps on a stock car, is approx. 195 on the highway, and up to about 230 when idling or in traffic.
With 160 Tstat, and reprogrammed fan setpoints, mine now runs 175 on the highways, and maxes out at 195 in traffic.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 103
Likes: 2
From: Boynton Beach Florida
2018 C6 of Year Finalist
I've done it, and here's my opinion.
The normal window of temps on a stock car, is approx. 195 on the highway, and up to about 230 when idling or in traffic.
With 160 Tstat, and reprogrammed fan setpoints, mine now runs 175 on the highways, and maxes out at 195 in traffic.
The normal window of temps on a stock car, is approx. 195 on the highway, and up to about 230 when idling or in traffic.
With 160 Tstat, and reprogrammed fan setpoints, mine now runs 175 on the highways, and maxes out at 195 in traffic.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Just out of curiosity, has anyone run WITHOUT a Tstat??? Or does that create too much turbulence in the system, at least I think I remember something like that from the “good ole days”.
(thinking to myself "This should create a stir!")
(thinking to myself "This should create a stir!")
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,394
Likes: 12
From: Leon Iowa
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
If you don't have a thermostat it will more than likely run hotter because the coolant will not stay in the radiator long enough to cool it down. You have to have a thermostat so it can stop the flow so the radiator can do it's job and cool the antifreeze.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,188
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From: Kannapolis NC
Without a thermostat, your engine will not warm up in cold weather and your heater won't work. You need the thermo to conrol the minimum temp of the engine. As stated over and over again, it doesn't control the max and neither do the fans once you hit the open road.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,387
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From: Boise ID
The other side of the coin is hotter heads rob less heat energy from engine combustion, increasing combustion efficiency. Fuel contains a certain amount of energy. In the cylinder, that stored energy is dissipated several ways, some exits through the exhaust, some is used to overcome friction, some is transferred to the crankshaft, and some is rejected to the engine coolant as heat. .
Hotter heads also give higher cylinder pressures.
Just stuff I've read, just throwin it out there.
Hotter heads also give higher cylinder pressures.
Just stuff I've read, just throwin it out there.