Thermostat 160` Does it really help
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Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Watha NC
Thermostat 160` Does it really help
I see alot of people have 160`thermostats. Do they really help car run any better? I have CAI, headers, high flow cats and Corsa exhaust. The engine runs at 200`degrees and seems fine.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
A 160 stat will allow someone who sees 90+F degree days where North Carolina asphalt reaches 140 degrees, to lower the fan settings and allow more heat transfer on the really hot days, when you are creeping along, When the only cooling air your car is getting is that 140F off the surface of the road
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,628
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From: Seattle WA
Just putting in a 160 stat will only lower highway temps, and even then probably not all that much. In order to see any cooling improvement, you would have to have your fan turn-on temperatures lowered accordingly.
If you're only seeing 200 degrees(ish), then it's certainly not worthwhile. If you get a full dyno tune, it is possible the tuner could eek out another horse if you have the 160 stat and the fans set properly, as the lower temperatures = less chance of preignition, and therefore a possibility of more efficient spark timing. I think that it's worthwhile personally, but you aren't missing out on anything spectacular by keeping your 190 stat.
If you're only seeing 200 degrees(ish), then it's certainly not worthwhile. If you get a full dyno tune, it is possible the tuner could eek out another horse if you have the 160 stat and the fans set properly, as the lower temperatures = less chance of preignition, and therefore a possibility of more efficient spark timing. I think that it's worthwhile personally, but you aren't missing out on anything spectacular by keeping your 190 stat.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: You know your drunk when you swerve to miss the tree then you realize its your air freshener! Covington Ga
I have one in mine, and also had the fans reset. Summer here in So-cal stuck in stop and go traffic, my car might reach 210. Other than that it stays at 190-195.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 700
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From: Spring Hill Florida
Feels better?
When I moved to Florida almost 20 years ago; I joined a local Corvette Club and they told me that one of the first things you "had" to do was replace your thermostat with a 160. I have one in both my Vettes and other than making you feel better, I can't think of any other reason. It doesn't run better, it doesn't get better mileage but that little bit of room on the needle between 160 and where ever gives you a feeling of "safeness"? Actually, running down the road it reads 172 but in traffic it still creeps up to "uncomfortableness". Not a word but you get the idea.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,939
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From: Simpsonville SC
St. Jude Donor '09-'10
I have the 160 thermostat, and my fans set to come on early, but my water temp still stays around 190-200. So, I don't think the 160 will keep the engine cooler; but, what it does do, is allow the cooling system start flowing water sooner, which should even out hot spots in the block.
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
I have the 160 thermostat, and my fans set to come on early, but my water temp still stays around 190-200. So, I don't think the 160 will keep the engine cooler; but, what it does do, is allow the cooling system start flowing water sooner, which should even out hot spots in the block.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,176
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From: New Smyrna Beach Florida
If you read what Evil Twin stated, it can be of assistance if you are stuck in traffic and the only cooling you are getting is hot air off the road surface. I believe that is probably the case. Beyond that no help. I don't run in traffic on hot days so I stick with the OEM thermostat. Many contentious threads on this subject.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 753
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From: Denville NJ
I have watched this issue back and forth for a long time.
Recently I had my secondary air system edited out of my computer. At the same time my fans were "re-programmed" (stock thermo.). Afterwards I did not notice a significant improvement toward the cool side, so I installed the 160 degree thermo. Now I notice that overall the car runs cooler, which is what I wanted. Maybe it's psychological, but I feel better about it.
Recently I had my secondary air system edited out of my computer. At the same time my fans were "re-programmed" (stock thermo.). Afterwards I did not notice a significant improvement toward the cool side, so I installed the 160 degree thermo. Now I notice that overall the car runs cooler, which is what I wanted. Maybe it's psychological, but I feel better about it.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,428
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From: Northern CA
St. Jude Donor '10-'12, '25
With a stock thermostat I never noticed the fans coming on during the HOT summer days in NorCal. Then I install a 160 degree thermostat, got my computer re-programmed and now I run cooler during hot days. Definitely and improvement since living in NorCal!
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 543
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Possitive result
I installed a Motorad 160 degree thermostat in my 2001. The thermostat is designed to start opening at 160 degrees and be fully open at 175 degrees. I also reprogrammed the fans to turn on at 185 degrees and off at 180 degrees.
My normal operating went from 198 degrees down to 178 degrees.
That does not prevent the temperature from going higher.
I drove 450 miles to the Bloomington Gold Corvette Show and the temperature went to as high as 203 degrees in heavy city traffic and quickly returned to 178 degrees when moving at some speed.
Roger T
My normal operating went from 198 degrees down to 178 degrees.
That does not prevent the temperature from going higher.
I drove 450 miles to the Bloomington Gold Corvette Show and the temperature went to as high as 203 degrees in heavy city traffic and quickly returned to 178 degrees when moving at some speed.
Roger T
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
Too cool is bad as well. The stock thermostat can be easily modified to open at any temperature. I modified mine to open a little sooner but not 160. I also upgraded the radiator and re-programmed the fans. I was striving for a narrow temperature range on the coolant while still getting the oil between 200-210 degrees. Evil-Twin will refer to this as the "sweet spot". If you do a search on "sweet spot" you will find many of his old posts that indicate not only why the temperature shouldn't be made too cool but also what can happen as a result. I read many of his old posts and based my modifications on his recommendations in an attempt to keep my temperatures within his sweet spot.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,281
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From: Orlando Florida
I have a 160 in mine as well as having the fans reprogrammed. I run about 178-182 while cruising and it gets up to 190 when stopped.
Has it helped? I don't know but I do know that temps here in OK get really hot!
Has it helped? I don't know but I do know that temps here in OK get really hot!
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 156
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From: Michigan
I run a 180 thermostat with reprogrammed fans. This keeps me in the "sweet spot". 187-189 and oil temps in the 200-210 range.
According to tuner : He's found that the ls1/ls6 engines tend to make best power with h2o temps at 187 degrees.
According to tuner : He's found that the ls1/ls6 engines tend to make best power with h2o temps at 187 degrees.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,315
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From: Near Jacksonville Fl.
A 160* thermostat will do nothing to make the engine run cooler it just opens sooner and take longer to stabilize.
The cooling system capacity is scaled to make your engine run at a given temperature, the only way to change this is the replace the radiator with a larger one and increase the flow of the water pump along with the thermostat.
All of the above is true as long as the ambient is above 70*F.
The fans do nothing above 35 mph.
The cooling system capacity is scaled to make your engine run at a given temperature, the only way to change this is the replace the radiator with a larger one and increase the flow of the water pump along with the thermostat.
All of the above is true as long as the ambient is above 70*F.
The fans do nothing above 35 mph.