Maybe I'm different but don't you have multiple cars? If it's that cold here, the roads will be icy, the tires won't stick, it won't be any fun in the Vette anyway, so I drive something else. A three hour drive in the Vette with temps in the teens? I don't think so.

BTW: Even when the coolant temp is below 160 (just warming up) the heater works just fine.

 

Well I'm pretty sure we have this issue resolved. Chuck deleted the P0128 code but still found it odd my engine was running as cold as it was. He rountinely gets vettes running in the 180's or so while on the highway with his 160 t-stat, I described how on my drive there I was seeing temps right at 160 and even below that into the 150's while on the highway.

He wanted to check out my t-stat since my temps were so low and way off the average. I had my 160 t-stat installed at another tuner shop back in the Spring and what we found irked me. I wasn't even an LS1/LS2 t-stat, something you might use on an older SBC from the freakin 1970's! It was no lie about a 1/2 the size of the normal t-stats we run in modern vettes (the spring and rear smaller section of this t-stat were missing). I'll post some pics later tonight to show you what I'm talking about.

After Chuck installed the new 160 t-stat I noticed a differance right away, my temps while cruising home stayed in the 180's low 190's. I'm fairly confident if I had his t-stat in the car from the start I wouldn't have even had this CEL and engine temp message come up.

I thank Chuck for resolving my issue.

 

Yes!
Final proof that a generic thermostat won't work! The specific thermostat for '04s and later model Corvettes is required.

 

I've purchased (3) 160's the last month for a few different vettes. I tested them all prior to installation and one of them wouldn't even open until 190 or so!

Of the 3, the Lingenfelter seemed stat to be the best quality and temperature sensitive IMO.

 

Yeah deffinatly stick to an newer design t-stat. I don't see any positives to running a car in the 150's-160's in winter time....that is a good 40-50+ degrees off what it's meant to run at from the factory.......can't be good in the long run. At least now I'm at a safer coolant temp and still run below the temp where timing gets pulled. Glad I got this resolved now instead of leaving it running stupid cold through the winter.

 

I'm having the same problem, only mine is with a stock thermostat. It only acts up on a cold (approx 56df) run of seven miles or more. Does not set a code but if i do the erase code with scanner or remove battery cable, goes back to normal till next cold run!

 

That's a new one. I haven't heard anyone having this issue with a stock t'stat. I am going to CoW tomorrow tommorow to have a tune and knock off this code. I will also have Chuck check for the correct model t'stat.

 

Did you get any work done at a previous tuner shop? Can't tell you how happy I am to have a legit t-stat in the car now and MUCH more stable coolant temps. I used to see 30-40 degree temps swings from city driving to highway driving. Now with chucks stat I see 183-195 temps with mixed driving....huge differance and imo much better for the engine.

BTW I had my previous tune+stat work done at a MAJOR tuner in NJ, not some shop noone has ever heard about, while there might be some reason to use that older t-stat, it doesn't make sense to use it in a street car driven in the Northeast year round.

To better illustrate my point here's a pic, the one on the right is the former 160 t-stat installed by the previous tuner, the one on the left is the usual 160 t-stat design and what Chuck puts in his cars.......easy to see why my temps before were so low and all over the place.

 

The former stat is outright WRONG! This configuration won't work in the LS series emgines. I'll bet you didn't get any heat out of the heater, either.

 

I think I'm dealing with a open circuit(s) at times in the CTS or IAT.
My next step is to check the wiring.

FINALLY...after many hours of inspecting it's resolved...poor connection at the ICP. Sure glad I did this myself, even if it would have been covered by warranty, there's satisfaction in repairing my own vehicle

 

Tell me about it. Heat wasn't an issue during the summer but it ran cooler then other peoples and really became an issue as the temps got below 50 degrees.....that's when the CEL happened and led me to CoW checking out the stat.

The scarry part is a major shop that is HUGE on these boards did the work and put in that crap t-stat. I'll be going exclusively to CoW for any other work in the future.

If anyone is curious about the tuner, just PM me. I don't want to start a sh!tstorm on the boards by dropping names.

 

OK, everyone ... here is what I hope to be my last info for this thread.

Took my car up to Chuck @ CoW to help me get through this problem and get a new tune at the same time (new thread will be created on the overall tune).

So, for this Hot Engine/AC Off situation ...

1. I had Chuck check the t'stat. Good news ... it was the t'stat for the C6. Bad news ... the original tuner (not Chuck) had seen fit to modify the t'stat by drilling holes in it. As a result, yes, the engine runs cooler but it causes the engine not to heat up to the correct temp (for the street) and to heat up very slowly which is one cause of the problem.
2. The previous tuner who did the t'stat (a well known Forum sponsor who I will not mention) also did not do a very good job in programming the cooling fans so that they kicked on too early and too fast. What does that mean? It means the engine again does not heat up to the right optimum temp and also heats up too slowly contributing to the problem
3. Now for the solution ... I had an unmodified 160 tstat installed, had Chuck tune the cooling fan speed profile and, yes, "uchecked" the code related to triggering the false message.

Hopefully, this does it. If there are still issues I will post again. For now, thanks Chuck for once again fixing someone else's messed up mods and getting my car straight and taking the time (and not insignificant time) to thoroughly explain what is going on. For more on the other tune factors, see my new thread.

 

Wow, another modded or incorrect T-stat situation resolved by Chuck. Wonder if you went to the same former tuner I had gone too. Good to hear you got it taken care of, you won't be seeing that coolant issue pop up again, mine has been running great since CoW removed the other tuners t-stat.

 

Did you happen to call the major shop and ask them why? Did you jump ship without asking why?

 

I'm sure if I complained about it I could've got another t-stat, but I was so impressed with CoW and Chucks tune that there is no reason for me to drive an extra 2 hrs to the other shop.

 

Have you gone back to the track ? sent you a pm, i don`t want to hi-jack anyones thread

 

i have the 160 stat no problem the key is, you have to reach 167 in a predetermend amount of time and number of key cycles a 160 stat is suppose to run cool

 

The new style 2 stage thermostats like in our C6's(left) have a bleed hole/jiggle pin. It's there to help vent air from the cooling system as you fill it, and to reduce peak cooling system pressures that develop in the engine before the thermostat opens.

You can modify a old style Robertshaw or Stant thermostats by drilling a 1/8" hole in the stationary part of the thermostat to aid in filling & venting your cooling system. It's an old trick. Especially for early C4's,
they were notorious for air bubbles in the cooling system.
.
.
The Robert Shaw you have pictured on the right is a great T stat .
Like others mentioned, It's just for a different application.

I am running a Drilled one just like it in my Meziere electric waterpump right now.
.
.
Lingenfelter sells the Hypertech 2 stage 160* thermostats.
.
Perry
.
.
mitchm11741's pic

[/QUOTE]

 

Haven't been back to the track yet, season ended here in Oct for the local tracks.

 

[/QUOTE]

I'd bet you have trouble getting any heat out of the heater. I believe the purpose of the second disc is to seperate the heater send and return water passages, thus forcing water through the heater. The Robertshaw type allows hot water to "short circuit" the heater.