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Old Apr 13, 2008 | 10:32 PM
  #1  
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Default 160 stat question

When changing to a 160 what else needs to be done and do you feel a performance difference from such a cheap mod?
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Old Apr 14, 2008 | 12:18 AM
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Nothing else needs to be done. CLICK for some informative reading.
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Old Apr 14, 2008 | 02:25 AM
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I dont know what performance your going to get out of it.. You need to set your fans to come on earlier.
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Old Apr 14, 2008 | 08:05 AM
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Do a search for hours of reading.
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Old Apr 14, 2008 | 11:02 AM
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I dont know what performance your going to get out of it.. You need to set your fans to come on earlier.
Doubletap,

I'm curious if that is from actually doing it and not seeing any difference? I just
put a 160 t-stat in my 07 A6. Without re-programming the fans, I am seeing
my cruising temperature go from 199 to 183. When stopped or sitting in a drive
thru, I used to see 205 and now I haven't seen anything over 189. I should note
that it is still relatively cool in Wisconsin, nonetheless before I put the t-stat in
I was still seeing 199.

I believe I have seen that the ECM starts pulling timing at 194. I have a Predator
but my thought is unless I see temperatures over 193, I will not re-program since it
seems to me that running as warm as possible without pulling timing makes sense.

Having said all that, I could certainly be wrong.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 01:03 AM
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I guess depends on what your doing.. I have done it. I look at it like it will let you run cooler to let you get your best performance . but your not gonna get any better performance from the tstat itself. Your car still makes the same horsepower. The Tstat might help you stay in the optimum performance temp better.



Originally Posted by aquaman
Doubletap,

I'm curious if that is from actually doing it and not seeing any difference? I just
put a 160 t-stat in my 07 A6. Without re-programming the fans, I am seeing
my cruising temperature go from 199 to 183. When stopped or sitting in a drive
thru, I used to see 205 and now I haven't seen anything over 189. I should note
that it is still relatively cool in Wisconsin, nonetheless before I put the t-stat in
I was still seeing 199.

I believe I have seen that the ECM starts pulling timing at 194. I have a Predator
but my thought is unless I see temperatures over 193, I will not re-program since it
seems to me that running as warm as possible without pulling timing makes sense.

Having said all that, I could certainly be wrong.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2008 | 01:25 AM
  #7  
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It will keep the car feeling more consistant and it will be, because it wont be pulling as much timing when its not getting as hot.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 07:15 AM
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Originally Posted by bad427
Just get a tune and ditch the 160 thermo and then your car won't pull timing at all when it gets hot. 185 isn't that hot for an engine, neither is 210 or 220 which is what you would see on the high side of things with the stock thermo. If you think the 160 is helping though I guess that's all that matters, but I'm letting you know it's all in your head.

Ed
Ed is correct that a good tune will help manage the timing. The first thing the tuner will suggest is that you get a 160 thermostat. Some tuners, such as CoW, won't do a tune without it.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 08:24 AM
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Originally Posted by bad427
Just get a tune and ditch the 160 thermo and then your car won't pull timing at all when it gets hot. 185 isn't that hot for an engine, neither is 210 or 220 which is what you would see on the high side of things with the stock thermo. If you think the 160 is helping though I guess that's all that matters, but I'm letting you know it's all in your head.

Ed
I would have to disagree with your advice here.

For those of us who spend the big bucks on mods to get the most hp and torque, a 160* stat is very inexpensive mod that ensures the timing will not be pulled on a hot day. When you say 'just get a tune,' are you implying a tune will eliminate the timing from being pulled if the car runs well above 200 degrees on a hot day? Please show me a reference for that statement because I missed that in my reading.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 09:19 AM
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If you don't run it cooler (with a 160) then either you let the tune pull the timing or the PCM will still pull it via KR. These engines are run close to the edge already, and will detonate when they get hot. Can't stop it except by running them a little cooler.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 09:28 AM
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I guess depends on what your doing.. I have done it. I look at it like it will let you run cooler to let you get your best performance . but your not gonna get any better performance from the tstat itself. Your car still makes the same horsepower. The Tstat might help you stay in the optimum performance temp better.




Quote:
Originally Posted by aquaman
Doubletap,

I'm curious if that is from actually doing it and not seeing any difference? I just
put a 160 t-stat in my 07 A6. Without re-programming the fans, I am seeing
my cruising temperature go from 199 to 183. When stopped or sitting in a drive
thru, I used to see 205 and now I haven't seen anything over 189. I should note
that it is still relatively cool in Wisconsin, nonetheless before I put the t-stat in
I was still seeing 199.

I believe I have seen that the ECM starts pulling timing at 194. I have a Predator
but my thought is unless I see temperatures over 193, I will not re-program since it
seems to me that running as warm as possible without pulling timing makes sense.

Having said all that, I could certainly be wrong.
Doubletap

I made a trip to the local dragstrip, and I now agree with you that the
fans should be re-programmed. I was running about 198 at the end of the strip. I had my Predator with me and reprogrammed to (192-25%)
(196-78%) (the rest - 99.9%). I then never got over 192 at the traps.

I think when I first changed the t-stat it was cool enough outside that it didn't make any difference.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 11:14 AM
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Living in the North East, obviously we have to deal with the seasonal temp changes. If the 160 stat will help in the summer, will it hurt the cars ability to warm up in the winter, and therefore hurt internal engine components?
Thanks
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 12:01 PM
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I put mine in in the spring and pull it in the fall.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Vette'n04
Living in the North East, obviously we have to deal with the seasonal temp changes. If the 160 stat will help in the summer, will it hurt the cars ability to warm up in the winter, and therefore hurt internal engine components?
Thanks
no it wont hurt anything, i run it year round for almost 3 years now. in the winter it warms up at lights stop signs and traffic going down the road it drops to 158 which is water temp not oil temp the oil temp still reaches 200 on long drives
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 09:03 PM
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Originally Posted by dennis50nj
no it wont hurt anything, i run it year round for almost 3 years now. in the winter it warms up at lights stop signs and traffic going down the road it drops to 158 which is water temp not oil temp the oil temp still reaches 200 on long drives
Thanks Dennis
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 10:00 PM
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I disagree I notice a huge difference when the car is cold 100 to warming up 160 and then 200 The car is way more responsive at the
colder temp no doubt about it. The car is more sluggish hot
NO doubt about it.
When I went to the track I really noticed it By the time I got to the line it was 220 225 Horrible for race
HEAT KILLS PERIOD.
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Old Apr 23, 2008 | 11:02 PM
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bad 427: You need to do more reading and more data logging. A thermostat is not a switch, it is not either open or closed, it is somewhere in between most of the time. The stock stat is not completely open until well over 200 degrees. A tune and 160 stat will give you more HP more of the time.
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 08:49 AM
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I already know what I'm talking about ed. And I've read all those books before. And I've built street and race motors. And I've run 160 stats in my cars for decades. My daily driver has had one for over 100,000 miles and still runs strong.

If you've datalogged as I have with a 160 you'd see that it will run in the 180's to 190's, not "consistently low".

If you check your tune (I use HPTuner) you will see it pulls timing with increased IAT and ECT. If you change the tune without running it cooler you will still get timing pulled via KR. Run a 160, reset your fan, and you won't lose HP due to heat.

Last edited by 6Speeder; Apr 24, 2008 at 09:04 AM.
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Vette'n04
Living in the North East, obviously we have to deal with the seasonal temp changes. If the 160 stat will help in the summer, will it hurt the cars ability to warm up in the winter, and therefore hurt internal engine components?
Thanks
I live in the N.E. and winter temps in the 20's w my 160 Stat car warms up nice. Fans are set 25% @ 192 ,78% 196 and all the rest 99%. The
best mod for the money.
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Old Apr 24, 2008 | 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Braciole
I disagree I notice a huge difference when the car is cold 100 to warming up 160 and then 200 The car is way more responsive at the
colder temp no doubt about it. The car is more sluggish hot
NO doubt about it.
When I went to the track I really noticed it By the time I got to the line it was 220 225 Horrible for race
HEAT KILLS PERIOD.
I would never beat on my car till it makes at least 160 on the oil.
If your romping on the car at 100 oil temps, I think it's foolish.
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