Thermostat poll, 160 vs 180

[rascal_rascal_99]

Man, what a post. It started over 3 1/2 years ago and people are still debating the subject.

No kidding...it's the energizer bunny post, it just keeps going and going and going...


:L

 

[G Winter]

Should we revive an oil filter post ?


Glenn

 

[hoosierdaddy]

It might make some interesting chatter for the winter months, but what about the "Corvette Udders"? Haven't got them mastered yet either?

 

[Memphiscop]

Ok...although I'm a newby....I just bought a C4 (1994) and have the good fortune of having Hypertech here in Memphis. They did a reprogram for me, and gave me a Hypertech 160 degree thermostat....said the program lowers the temp of the engine....it was running what I thought was hot at 225-230, but a mechanic friend said it was designed to run that hot. Since the Hypertech tune, it DOES run very well with the 160....my two cents anyway.....

 

[hoosierdaddy]

My C-5 runs between 210-220 degrees and from all I've read and heard this is normal.

I see your on the Memphis PD, I like Memphis a lot, been there a few times and planning on a trip back in the near future, not sure about this year yet but maybe. I always stay right there in Memphis @ the Holiday Inn. Wouldn't mind living in the area when I retire; which could be in the next couple of years, might be interested in a couple of acres in the area is land pretty exspensive or can it be bought reasonable? I have worked for Indiana DOT for going on 29 years, looking forward to building a large qarage with a 2 BR house attached and Memphis is one area that I wouldn't mind settling on.

Bill

 

[Louis Bartay]

ad

Ok...although I'm a newby....I just bought a C4 (1994) and have the good fortune of having Hypertech here in Memphis. They did a reprogram for me, and gave me a Hypertech 160 degree thermostat....said the program lowers the temp of the engine....it was running what I thought was hot at 225-230, but a mechanic friend said it was designed to run that hot. Since the Hypertech tune, it DOES run very well with the 160....my two cents anyway.....

I had Good results on 1994 LT1 Trans Am with a Hypper Tech Programmer and stat. It gained 20 HP with programming, stat and K&N air filter on a bone stock 285 HP LT1.

My 96 LT4 Corvette only gained 6 HP doing the same thing with a second programmer for this auto....sigh. I only use it to turn on the fans sooner when in stop and go traffic now. I was reading 255/260 with A/C on and 40 minutes of a moving parking lotad now around 235 on a 100 degree day...sigh.

Send your compuer to Ed Wright at Fast Chips for a " Custom Tune" you will notice the difference. He can get your air/fuel ratio and timimg really close for not having this done on chassis Dyno. For best HP gain.

 

[CAJUN C4]

Put in my Hypertech 160 T.S. Saturday.20 Degrees cooler is good.At 76 F Outside this morning,the temp. never got above 176 F.Looks like my primary fan comes on at 184F. I don't know when it goes off though.Will set them this weekend.

 

[motorman]

I'm no expert on this subject but for late model Vettes with electronically controlled fuel injection - changing thermostats to something other than OEM spec can have some ugly results. Lowering the thermostat temp will cause the computer to richen the fuel mixture. This of course will result in reduced fuel milage and over the long haul could do some cylinder damage. The C4's and especially the C5's were designed to run at mucher higher temperatures than most folks are accustomed too. Stick with the factory recommended thermostat and stop all this hand wringing.

Remo:cool

that is correct and with a lower temp thermo your car may not pass you states emission tests

 

[golfman2008]

Even thought the coolant temps are High, its the oil temps that you have to be careful about. Keep in mind the C4 and C5 where aerodynamically designed to go fast that is why they are bottom breathers. So you sacrifice Air flow to your radiator " we have done our studies " . The only way you get air into the radiator cavity is at high speeds but its inefficient to keep things cool when you really push it. I am not promoting our product even though many you have the Big Mouth. I have done ananometer testing on this subject. At 32 miles an hour you start getting better air flow but its weak at best. This is why Your temps rise so quickly at a stand still and then begin to drop when you accelerate. The engineers had created a low pressure zone system where by air floats into your radiator, well so does everything else. Water contamination, road trash, what ever is underneath your front tires. Well we have solved many of these problems with one component. We have created a High Pressure Zone first to Amplify the CFM in the radiator cavity and then if you look at the side view you can see how the Big Mouth blocks contamination as well.
my 02. cents

 

[Louis Bartay]

Should we revive an oil filter post ?


Glenn

:L No Thanks and we sometimes we have to help new owners. When the " New Owners " get stuck in traffic and it is 100 out side and they are running the A/C they will see why on the LT1/LT4 we have a way to turn ON the fans sooner. A 160 or 180 is Not what helps in traffic it is the Fans turning on sooner and staying on longer. After the engine warms up it is always past 180 so no need for a 160 stat. Been there and have done that..

I turn off the fans and go back to stock fan rerogramming during the winter. As the engine will run TOO cool and the oil Needs to get at least 220 to burn of moisture, etc.

The 1996 LT4 has more stock HP than the early C4 and durning really Hot summers here in Texas the Stock programming for the fans in stop and go traffic will have the engine near 255ad way Too hot. I also have a new radiator and I clean in front and inbetween the radiator as you will find a lot of grass clippings, etc that will block air flow. So now I use my Hyper Crap to turn on the fans sooner for summer driving only.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

I say keep it with what the GM Engineers reccomend. I figure they know more about it than I do and I am pretty much a stickler for OEM reccomendations; designed that way for a reason in my opinion!

Bill

 

[gmjunkie]

I say keep it with what the GM Engineers reccomend. I figure they know more about it than I do and I am pretty much a stickler for OEM reccomendations; designed that way for a reason in my opinion!

Bill

Exactalackaly Right Bill!! Your engine will run Better,Cleaner,More Economically and Environmentally Friendly!!
Keep your GM car,ALL GM!!

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Exactalackaly Right Bill!! Your engine will run Better,Cleaner,More Economically and Environmentally Friendly!!
Keep your GM car,ALL GM!!

You da Man Junk Hope all has been well with you

Bill

 

[vdogamr]

Just curious

I tried to read this whole thread before posting. I will admit I skimmed some of the posts. But I have a question.

Most people say that when their car is moving they operate below the 200 range. If 220 is so good, why doesn't the car try to maintain that temperature all the time?

I know when you move you get more air flow and that cools down the car. I am not asking a physics question, I am asking a design question.

 

[vette079]

Like vdogamr, I skimmed a few when reading this.
In my eyes, wouldn´t it be sufficient to just reprogram the computer so the fans comes on at say 200 and stick with a 180 T-stat?
It´s not the T-stat that makes the engine run hotter/cooler, it´s the fans that come on at a certain temp that controls your engine run temp.
Look at the old cars that ha(d)ve the fan connected directly to the engine, those fans run all the time, pulling air through the rad.
I live in Sweden, here we have long winters, but also hot summers, just last year a few days it was around 102 F outside, wich I thought was pretty warm.
I put in a 180F T-stat in my 91, since the old one either didn´t work well or the prev. owner had a 160F installed.
Prior to the swap, I had problems with the overdrive engaging after driving a very long time.
Since the 180F, after warm up, the OD engages at a speed of 44 mph or so, wich it didn´t before.
It lets the engine warm up more quickly, since it stays closed until it hits...180F and I think that is what you want to keep the engine healthy.

 

[redvett]

To keep the engine healthy it needs to run at 195F so the oil burns off all the condensation & acids reducing emissions. Lower coolant temps say 180F will have no noticeable performance improvement. If a lower temp was true than NASCAR or F1 and many other race groups would lower there coolant temps.

 

[vette079]

You could be right about that.
Another funny thing that I noticed is that with all the cars that I have had, the vette is the only one where the temps go up and down comparing highway and city traffic.
I had a 94 firebird when I was living in the Netherlands, and there was no difference in engine temps when I was either cruising on the highway or in city traffic.
And that one had electrical fan(s) also IIRC.
Other cars didn´t show any difference there either.
Any idea about that?

 

[redvett]

If the cooling system & related parts are working correctly, temp's of 230F are nothing to worry about. In fact starting in 1978 with the L-82 the aux cooling fan was & still is set at 237F and the SES light wont come on until 255F.

 

[vette079]

I just read something on a site that clarified a lot of stuff you just mentioned about the temps.
Automotive Cooling Systems -  A Short Course on How They Work

 

[TedC]

CE magazine just published a very good article on C4 cooling system maintenance. For the L98s, they recommend the 180 degree thermostat. I made the switch last year after talking to Gordon Killebrew. If emissions are an issue, then stick with the stock thermostat.