what degree thermostat is everyone using

thermostat only controls minimum operating temp, if you have a 180 t-stat and your car is running hotter than 190 or so, you'll be still be running 190 or so with a 160 t-stat. Get a fan shroud and make sure the fan is properly spaced, which I belive is a half in/half out of the shroud. Get as much airflow as possible through the radiator. If you still have problems, you'll need a larger or more efficient radiator.

I am going to the 160 on my stang !

I've always used a 180 thermostat with good results in the Arizona desert.

160 is a little too cold for me. 180 is perfect, if you still have heat problems get an aluminum radiator (i got the 4 row and it is awesome but 3 is good too)

The engine doesn't run better at a lower temperature. The engine will actually run better and make more power at the "correct" temperature. Modern engines run even higher temps, because if the engine is designed to hold up to the heat, higher operating temps are the way to make more power.

I noticed that Clevelands are supposed to get a 195 degree thermostat. I guess that is fitting with the Cleveland being set up for high performance.

I run a 180* in mine with no problems. Even when I lived in Arizona.

The new cars run hotter mainly for emissions. Usually one of the first things poeople do is put a cooler thermostat in their car ro increase power.

mustang70 said:

I run a 180* in mine with no problems. Even when I lived in Arizona.

The new cars run hotter mainly for emissions. Usually one of the first things poeople do is put a cooler thermostat in their car ro increase power.

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How does a cooler thermostat increase power? If I'm wrong I'd like to understand why.

edit: my understanding is that the efficiency of a thermodynamic engine increases as the difference between the minimum and maximum temperatures increase. Case in point: a turbocharger can be used to extract energy from the exhaust stream and force additional F/A mix into the engine. The drawback is higher operating temperatures (the turbo has to operate at a very high temperature).

I believe that a higher operating temperature represents additional energy extracted from the combustion process.

Oh.. and higher temperatures are not good for emissions, from what I've heard. Higher temperatures produce Nitrogen Oxides that are hard to scrub. Too low temperatures can produce unburned fuel, but that's not as much of a problem with newer, EFI motors.