Can the temperature at which the cooling fan comes on be adjusted with a handheld? I'm asking because I'm looking to install a cooler t-stat......and also wanting to do a couple of other pcm mods........

 

Not sure which handheld you are referring too but the Hypertech ones do have the feature that allows cooling fan on/off adjustments.

 

any others?

 

If you're thinking handheld only, Predator will do that at 1 degree increments, plus a whole lot more.

 

Traditional handhelds (Hypertech, DiabloSport, Superchips, etc) typically only work optimally with completely stock vehicles. If you've done so much as added a cold air-intake or installed a K&N filter, there's a chance your WOT AFR will be off. I'm probably biased :-) but custom PCM tuning typically yields better results and it is cheaper then buying a handheld that you'll probably only use once.

When you order custom PCM tuning, you simply tell them what you've done and they make the program right for your vehicle.

 

That's REALLY good advice.....will take that into consideration......

question.....if I run a 160 stat, do I set the cooling to come on at 160? what temp to go off?

one more question....should I get rid of that damn annoying spark knock my engine has before I tune the pcm?

 

You have low speed fans and high speed fans. I have a 160 and have mine set at - on 184/off 175 (low) and on 194/off 185 (high).

 

^do those settings work for every car that has a 160?

 

That's what was recommended to me by James at RWTD a few years ago - in summer my high speed runs alot, but I have most of the radiator blocked by the FTRA and live in a warm climate too. My '01 owners manual says the car came with a 180, so another option is don't get a 160 and just adjust the fan on/off temps. Here's a chart RWTD has posted, think it's the same hypertech used too, use as a starting point.

Stock
Fan 1 on/off: 209/200
Fan 2 on/occ: 219/210

180
Fan 1 on/off: 194/185
Fan 2 on/off: 204/195

160
Fan 1 on/off: 184/175
Fan 2 on/off: 194/185

If you set the low or high fans to come on at 160 they'll probably run 100% of the time after warmed up. Stock settings are much higher.