ok so would it benefit me to switch to a 160* thermostat? i bought my car in the winter and i never drove it in the summer...i put maybe ten miles on it before i decided to build the motor....my heads guy said my heads weren't warped bad but were a little....i wanna know would it benefit me to put a 160* tstat in my car? the mods are in my sig...im putting a new wp on as well...and if i do go with a 160* tstat will i need tuning and will my gas mileage drop? i plan on doing a pcm for lesss tune after i get my engine back in and my 3.43's put on... and wheres the best place to get a 160 thermo? summit sells the slp one for 30 bucks...is it any good?


im basically asking if i can throw a 160 thermo into a freshly rebuilt lt1 and expect it to run cooler and not require programming....but like i said eventually i will get a tune but not right away

 

Typically, you can pick up a few extra HP with a 160* t'stat, reduced fan on/off temps and a bit of extra ignition advance. There is no noticeable drop in fuel mileage. Might take a minute or two extra to reach a comfortable heater temp in the winter.

The Hypertech 160* is about $20. Never saw one more expensive than that. In any case, it must be the specific t'stat for an LT1, not a generic SBC unit. Check Shoebox's site for the correct part # and design.

 

Your local auto store could sell 160 stats cheaper than summit. You can run a 160 stat w/o tuning but the engine temps could fluctuate depending on the driving activity (stop-n-go, highway, etc). The fans are programmed to turn on/off once stock temps are reached. So when you're not getting good airflow thru the radiator the temp will increase till the fans kick on.

 

well im not looking to gain hp i just want my car to run cooler....so basically with the 160 thermo installed the while sitting in traffic it will reach the same temp as my 180. but while driving it will be cooler? and after i get my tune it will run cooler in traffic right?

 

The thermostat simply controls how hot the engine gets before the coolant starts to flow. Once the t'stat opens, if you leave the programmed fan on/off temps stock (first fan of low speed on at 226*F, second fan or high speed at 235*F) the engine temp will behave exactly the way it did with the 180* t'stat. When sitting in traffic on a hot day, the gauge will probably reach the center hashmark (~210*F), or a little above. At freeway speeds, it will run a little cooler than it used to.

There is nothing wrong with running the engine at the temperatures that you get with a 180* t'stat. GM designed it that way, to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize emissions. A quality 5W-30 oil is fully capable of protecting the engine at those temperatures.

 

ok cool thanks injuneer....well i already bought the 180* thermo a while back when i first started my build. im going to assembly everything and see how it runs with the 180...if it gets a little too hot ill have the fans turned down and throw the 160 in...thanks again for the help.....and idk if it applies or not but happy fathers day

 

Yes.... 3 children and one grandchild.

Thank you.