thermostat question

[J_Squared]

i need to replace my thermostat, it doesnt seem to be opening consistently at te right temp. a few friends i know have the 160, and i know stock is 180. is there any reason i should get a 160 over the 180. Is it just like added insurance that ur not gonna overheat? thx.

 

[slow93]

i run a 160 in mine and it doesnt get over 180 even in traffic or in town

 

[HISSIN50]

180 is not stock. With winter coming up, I would not want to run a 160. The only reason anyone would run one at all is if the cooling system is deficient, and if that is the case, components should be replaced, rather than running a cooler stat. The system will still run hot, it will just take a little longer to do so. And in the winter there is a good chance that the car will not reach full CL operation.

A quality 180 is the way to go IMHO. Mr Gasket stats are my choice.
Good luck.

 

[J_Squared]

hmm, well im not gonna be driving my car this winter, good ol garage is where its gonna be. fortunately. as far as deficient cooling systems, def not the case with a good friend of mine, he has all new cooling system, and runs a 160. they are cheap enough though, ill prob just get a nice 180 and see how it goes. thx

 

[95GTV8]

stock is 192*, I'd recomend the 180*. Just my 0.02

 

[slow93]

180 should work fine i just like mine to run as cool as possible

 

[jerryD]

if you are fuelie, then you will want at least a 180*, no lower. for carb, i don't see why you can't run a 160* in there.

 

[Michael Yount]

There's a misconception out there -- that somehow a lower temperature t'stat will keep you from overheating.

IF (big if for some cars) you have enough radiator and fan capacity to reject enough heat -- then all a 160F t'stat is gonna do is allow your car to operate at 160F - duh. If you don't have enough capacity -- for example - it's already overheating with a 180F t'stat - then putting a lower temp t'stat in isn't going to help. It takes even MORE heat rejection to get the operating temp down to 160 from 180. If it's already overheating with a 180F stat in it, it's not going to be able to reject enough heat to get the temperature down to 160F. Capice?

Stick with a 180F t'stat. There's no significant benefit from running a cooler one, and there is some downside in terms of engine wear.

Ideal would be operating in the 180-195F range, with oil temps in the 210-220F range.

What WILL really help performance is being sure the AIR entering the engine is as cool as possible. For every 10F DROP in engine intake air, the engine makes 1/2-1% more power.

 

[ninety1gt]

sorry for being a little off topic, but what about not running a t-stat at all?

 

[HISSIN50]

sorry for being a little off topic, but what about not running a t-stat at all?

It will generally make the car take forever to warm up, but on the flip side, if it starts to get too hot, it will continue to get hotter and hotter. Not good.

If someone is set on running no stat, a restrictor plate is the absolute least I would run. In the desert here some carbed guys do it, but I would not on an EFI car (even in this very mild climate).

 

[ninety1gt]

thanks, ill get a 180* in asap

 

[Michael Yount]

The stat doesn't just control temp - it controls flow as well. No t'stat at all is a bad idea all the way around. For a dedicated drag racer, or perhaps some dedicated autocross cars you can get by with a flow restrictor and no stat (they don't run long enough to get warm anyway). But even in those you'd want to run really low viscosity oil. For a street car - just put a 180 in it. If it's overheating it's because you don't have enough radiator or enough fan, or both.

 

[18mustangs]

if you are fuelie, then you will want at least a 180*, no lower. for carb, i don't see why you can't run a 160* in there.

160* is good for the carb crowd as you don't need to worry about open loop/closed loop. Many hot rodders back in the '60s used the 160* t-stat with no adverse effects, and now EFI guys who talk to older cab guys somteitmes perpetuate this without realizing that what works for carbs many not work for EFI.

 

[Michael Yount]

T'stat temp has virtually no impact on closed-open loop; it's a myth propogated by those who don't understand how the efi works. The efi goes to closed loop just as soon as it gets viable O2 sensor signals. With unheated sensors this can take a minute or two on a cold start; with heated sensors it can occur as quickly as 15-20 seconds after start up, even cold. Closed loop is achieve LONG before operating temps come anywhere close to the stat temp - even a 160.

 

[87gtconv]

I have used both a 180 and a 160 and I can't tell one from the other in terms of HP or MPG!! In fact once I get going, in the mild winters in SOCAL they take about the same time to warm up just that one goes to 160 second line on my gauge while the other goes to the third line.