I have been doing some research on this topic and found half are running 160 and half are running 180. I was thinking of getting this setup from extreme:
http://www.xmsengineering.com/cooling/

The 172 with the cooling fan control.

A waste of money or a good investment? Or should I just get a 160/180 and call it a day?

Thanks,
Jason

 

depends on what you are trying to do, and what part of the country you live in. In AZ, a 160 is a must.

 

If you go to a lower stat, you need to reprogram the fans... a stat only controls how cold your motor will get... not how hot it gets... a 160 stat opens at 160... the temperature of the coolant is changed through effecient heat exchange of the radiator and the fans that help with this change based on the temperature of the air being drawn across the fins... I run a 160 stat for 8 months and a stock 190 for 4 months.. If you are going to see 95 degree days.. a 160 stat will help... These cars run Hot. you can go with the extreme set up, or a hayden fan controller from pep boys.. or a vinci fan controller, or any PCM programer.. btw there is no such thing as a 160/180 stat... its either 160 or 180... but not both... I always test a thermostat.. before I install it.,.. place the stat in pot of water.. with a meat thermometer..heat the water and note the temperature when the stat opens.. you will usually see a few bubbles form as the valve opens...Hypertech stats seems to be the best...I went through three 160 stats that opened at 190... before I got a hypertech that opened at 160... I am afraid that marketing a 160/ 180 stat is a sales ploy to cover as many uninformed people as possible... If I were advising my son... I would tell him to get a hypertech 160.. test it,,, and buy a hayden fan controller from pepboys for 39 dollars and use the tech tip on the forum to install it... and that he could get his dad to help...
I hope this helps...feel fee to Instant message me if you have any problems..
and welcome to the forum
:seeya


[Modified by Evil-Twin, 11:55 PM 3/28/2004]

 

Thanks for the replys guys.

What I meant by 160/180 is either or. So, there seems to be a cheaper way to go than the extreme setup. With the pep boys setup...is there cutting and splicing involved?

I used to own a Supercharged Z-28 and used LS1 edit...so reprogramming was easy.

I live in San Diego so I think a 160 would be a good idea?

Thanks,
Jason

 

I saw a few stats that said they were 160/180 stats.. Yes you need to splice one wire (blue) on the fans... you need 12V, a ground, and one jumper in the fuse box.. there are instructions in Tech tips.. you can buy a vinci fan controller.. it has the jumpers, clips and specific instructions for a C5...I have a Vinci... it was 149 when I bought it 4 years ago...and it is adjustable...

 

Hi Jason:

I live in Escondido. You are on the right track with a 170 stat. When cruising Grand, I just switch on the air conditioning to kick on the fans. I can cruise Grand and never see more than 195 with the air on. On the freeway, a 170 stat will keep you at 180 to 186, which I think is just perfect!

See you on GRAND.

Dan

 

So what are the pros/cons of running a 160F thermostat vs. a 180F?

Running too cold, can it cause combustion problems?

Can't you just reprogram the computer with LS1 edit to turn the fans on at whatever temperature you want INSTEAD of getting a manual fan controller kit???

 

Somewhere on here were directions on how to change the stock thermostat by cutting the main spring. I bought a new thermostat for about $25 from the dealer, then it was changed to 178 degrees which is about what I wanted; cutting more of the spring will further reduce the opening temperature.

 

unless you have an 04 C5,,, you cant just buy a thermostat.. the dealer charges 90 dollars for a thermostat with housing.. its one piece..and the thermostat mod is with the use of a ball bearing..

 

I have an '04 C5. IS my thermostat a different design?

What are the pros/cons of a 160F vs. a 180F thermostat?

 

There are several ways to adjust a stock t-stat lower, the easiest is to disassemble and use a shim where the center post seats on the housing, .010 to .030 are the numbers I recall. The shims I experimented with, were home made using a cut section of a stainless nail and a grinder to smooth them out.

 

Interesting... Might have to do that or pay the $$ :D

 

I bought a housing that includes the thermostat for a '98 and it was $25 at the Chevy dealer last year. Adding a spacer to the valve shaft lifts the valve up and that makes the car heat up slower since the valve cannot completely close anymore. Cutting the main spring lowers the opening temperature without lifting the valve from the seat.

 

My shop recently mod'd my 'Vette's stock therm via the "ball bearing method." Engine temps on "Raceways" (Interstates) 75/85 here in the GA area run 189-192 deg F. (Mind you, this is just springtime and not yet summer! :D )


[Modified by kedvesh, 9:21 AM 3/30/2004]

 

No need to buy aftermarket thermostats. Do the 50 cent mod as described in HPs book, Chevy LS1/LS6 Performance ISBN: 1-55788-407-2 Page 58 shows you how to adjust your stock stat to 168 degrees using a 1/8 brass
ferrule. Put the money into the fan programming instead. :party: