160 Tstats

[Bruce Jibboo]

from a cooling performance and mechanical engineering perspective, do they provide any benefit?

I have one installed but as I try to learn more I feel they aren't of any benefit.

Click to read more...

 

[SleeperLS]

I was always under the impression they aided in a cooler running engine thus decreasing the risk of detonation.

If that is the case or not seems air intake temps and fuel would be more crucial.

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

my LS cars always operated with no load above the 180-200 mark, I guess on a cold day the Tstat would open at 160 and give you heat quicker

 

[Gone_2022]

Had one in my last SS. I saw no difference in performance. Stock T-Stat in the trans am and it acts the same way.

My fans were adjusted as well for the 160 thermostat.

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

my LS cars always operated with no load above the 180-200 mark, I guess on a cold day the Tstat would open at 160 and give you heat quicker

160 stat would give you worse heat than a 180.

The cooling loop has engine coolant circulate between the block and heater core at all times unless there is a HVAC Bypass valve in there. The stat isn't part of that loop.

So if you move to a 160 stat then the coolant flows the radiator earlier, lowering your highway temps by about 20° and your heater core temps will drop by about the same. 180° is best I think for us. Maybe if we were in a really hot environment then a 160° would be good, but for our area I was never happy with the heat I got when using a 160 in the GTA.

Might give slight benefit with drag racing due to the low heat load, but extended WOT like during a HPDE will heat the coolant well past the 160° mark, probably within the first full lap.

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

I think the biggest thing is to make sure the fan-on setting was adjusted as well by the shop, probably going to get an HPT even if I use it for read only

 

[HILROD]

The lower temp can help keep out of knock. As long as you are tuned for it, it can help. I'm running one on my supercharged 6.0.

 

[SinisterSHO]

My gtp had something low in it. Never had heat when moving in the winter.

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

My gtp had something low in it. Never had heat when moving in the winter.

That was my experience with the 160 in the GTA. If I was moving on the highway I never had any real heat. Was luke warm at best.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

it would be really nice if the actual coolant flow thermostat or actually variable though I know there are systems that control electric water pumps.
You have to do it on the heat rejection side using different fan settings but remember at all times that your engines internal clearances are set for an engine at operating temperature running the engine cold when it's not needed is worse for wear and tear.
You do it so that for the few instances you're under full load and power that you won't spike in temperatures and hurt something.
Its a compromise. For me I do 180

 

[DEEZUZ]

A hot engine is a happy engine

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

actually it's the hotter the better when it comes to a thermodynamic engine. a lot of the reasons why modern engines are run so hot is that fluids operate thinner, clearances are tighter at the rings and the engine is more efficient for better miles per gallon.

 

[IDAFC21]

I coulda swore I had a 160 put in my GTO when I had my cam and everything done, but looking back at the paperwork now, it doesn't look like I did. I know I had one in my WRX when I had it. Its not like im missing the heat out here.

 

[EmersonHart13]

I wouldnt go less than 180 in our climate

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I will say there's a lot of speculation with it but I think a lot of it has to do with the mechanics of wet fuel systems (carbed cars depend on intake heat to atomize fuel, and I would think at an extent even "dry" intaked vehicles would too) as well as the ECUs (supposedly some older ECUs wouldn't go into closed loop with a 160.)

Lastly, the idea of running one is you can run more timing without preignition; without changing the timing curve I wouldn't even change it probably. I would also consider that there's limits to how much timing makes more power even without going into preignition. If you had a cam that made the engine more temperamental, extra compression or forced induction etc. it may be a worthwhile consideration.