Thermostat poll, 160 vs 180

[vee93]

Whatever happened to C4C5 he has not been around here in a while?

I'm not sure I get this thermo shock thing!!!

He bought a C5!!! Maybe he's over in those forums. I remember he was asking about a new vanity plate.

 

['04 Torch Red]

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

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Best answer so far......they were born to run hotter......its perfectly normal....more people need to stop focusing so much on the temp guage and look where they are driving......:L

 

[warren s]

[QUOTE='04 Torch Red]=======================================================

Best answer so far......they were born to run hotter......its perfectly normal....more people need to stop focusing so much on the temp guage and look where they are driving......:L [/QUOTE]Ignorance is truly bliss.

 

[Vettefan87]

I just dont like the idea of my vette running that hot. I put a 160 in and then a 180, and now im back to 160. with the 195 tstat and the fans not coming on till 225 or so. I just could not be comfortable with that. So I got the thermo master chip and that kicks the fans on at 175 so my oil temp will never see 200 unless I am driving it hard. If I were you I would get it to run the coolest it can.


Justin

 

[warren s]

This is such a simple concept I cant understand why it causes so much confusion.

235 to 240 is to hot, it only helps with emissions, thats why GM desinged the LT1s to run that hot. Its a published fact. (I will find the link and post it)

Changing the thermostat to 160 will NOT make the cars coolent temp stay at 160.

Changing the therm and not affecting the fan control offers little advantage.

Keeping the coolent temp between 180 and 195, and (160 to 170 on race day)will yeild better ETs and lower fuel consumption. If you run an automatic and your coolent is at 240, just imagine what your trans fluid is like.

A 160 therm and a small paddle switch cost about 25 bucks.

 

['04 Torch Red]

Originally Posted by Remo
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
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[QUOTE='04TorchRed]Best answer so far......they were born to run hotter......its perfectly normal....more people need to stop focusing so much on
the temp guage and look where they are driving......:L
==========================================================

Ignorance is truly bliss.

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I don't mind informative comments, but that rude comment was uncalled for. Please keep your rude comments to yourself. Thanks

 

[warren s]

I dont think it was rude.

Telling us to look where we are driving and not the temp guage isnt exactly a creative comment in the context of this thread.

Saying that "They were born to run hotter" is not exactly an "informed" statement.

However it was not my intention to be rude.

 

[DRTH VTR]

Ignorance is truly bliss? In the context of the post?

 

[Grizzly]

I also was at the C4 trouble shooting seminar at Carlisle and Gordon made the comment to just turn on your air conditioning to get the temps down. Seemed like the wrong thing to me but it was explained that that also turns on both the cooling fans.

Proved it to myself later that night during the Chip Miller Parade. Had the top down so air was not needed and temp was at 217. Turning on the air brought it down to 207 pretty quickly. This is a 92 LT1, 44K miles, that is completely stock.

Never the less, I still don't like engines running this hot!

 

['04 Torch Red]

I dont think it was rude.

Telling us to look where we are driving and not the temp guage isnt exactly a creative comment in the context of this thread.

Saying that "They were born to run hotter" is not exactly an "informed" statement.

However it was not my intention to be rude.

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Thats funny Warren...your Email to me sounded much different than what you just posted here....
It really doesn't matter..I accept your apology in your email to me.....Peace Corvette brother...

 

[warren s]

[QUOTE='04 Torch Red
Peace Corvette brother... [/QUOTE]

 

[bradvette]

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

this is incorrect. if you keep your coolant temps around 180-200, you'll burn enough oxidants, have very minimal cylinder wall wear, have good performance. The 180* t-stat - WITH fans on/off at 200/185 (give or take a few degrees) is the ideal setup for the street.

 

[vettered91]

160° If you live where there´s no freezing weather!

(it wont make you any good without turning the fans on earlier)

If any of you believes temps around 235° (second fan turns on at these temp) are good for your aluminum heads, gaskets, connectors, PCM, harness, rubber, cables, hoses, 1/4 mile times, transmission, and all the stuff under the hood of your vette.........

Then sooner or latter your wallet will pay the price!

 

[ProEMTPFF]

Being that I live in Florida with HOT + HUMID summers and don't have bad winters I'm going with the 160D.

 

[Vettefan87]

With my setup of the 160 degree stat, the thermo master chip, and the oil cooler I have the oil temp will never get above 190 unless I am really driving her hard, which I do not really do. I just can not get used to the oil temp and the coolant temp being up around 230, that is just to hot for my liking.


Justin

 

[C5Richard]

Doesn't seem to matter which I use on my 85' because no matter what it's still at 200 degrees. Even with the double core radiator, extra cooling option, and fans running all the time. And I feel lucky keeping it at 200.

 

[COR4VETTE]

Well don't go out in the winter because you are not going to have much heat.
But the worst thing about a 160 is the engine don;t heat up enough which causes (CONDENSATION) do i have to say anything more ?.

 

[MoeJr]

When I got my 84 the coolant temp would hover around 170-175 and the car ran ok. When I went thru the car and did normal maintenance to it I bought a factory GM TStat for it and installed it with 50/50 mix. Ran much smoother and responsive. Temps no matter what it is outside stay around 200 it will hit 228 in traffic and then the fan comes on and brings it right back down. Works great just like GM designed it.

 

[larry bud]

As far as JohnZ's comment, who drives thier Vette in the winter??

I have had a 180 in since I bought the car, and I thought I had a 195, I have never seen 180 unless I just started the car.

Mine usually runs at about 200-210with the 180 in, so I figure I'll try the 160 and see what happens.

And as Vettelt193 mentioned if you have the 160 in then the engine is running cooler so the coolant should be cooler, these differences that may be called thermo shock would be the same with either thermostat, think about it.

Mart

This is one of my pet peeves, that people don't understand something as simple as a thermostat.

The temp on the thermostat only indicates when the thermostat will open, not what your engine temp will run at.

If you're running at 200-210 in the summer, you'll run 200-210 in the summer with the 160 in, because the 160 AND 180 will both be open at that temp. The ONLY way it would have an effect would be if it's cold enough outside, and your cooling system is effiecient enough to keep the engine temp below 180 degrees.

Finally, I drive my vette in the winter. As long as there isn't snow or ice on the pavement, why wouldn't I?

 

[woofsaidfred]

i have a 160 in my 94 and like it a lot better sitting in traffic the car only gets too 200 the scary part is i blew a radiator hose on the brand new rebiuld and it got to 270 and gm doesnt give a over heat temp that i have found lucky for me it didnt hurt anything