i have a 94 chevy camaro Z28 with 96 LT1 engine im using my a 180thermostat i happen to find a 160 one, would the 160 keep my car cooler i live in las vegas nv,my cars temp is great and it doesnt run hot or anything but im just curious and wondering if it matters what thermostat i use thank u anybody who can help me with my ?

 

160 will run cooler while you have air flowing thru the radiator. If you don't change when your cooling fans kick on then it'll still heat up to stock setting. If you're not getting much air flow thru radiator. After fans kick on you'll then see the temp drop.

 

I run a 160* with my fans tuned slightly lower than stock and I also have a manual fan switch.

As stated the 160* won't help you unless your getting air through your radiator. If your temp is fine I'd probably say leave it be.

The way my car is set, in my climate, it stays right about 185-195* (usually 190*) and I think that's a perfect balance of performance vs efficiency.

 

Typically a car will have better combustion efficiency with a 195* thermostat than a 160* thermostat (in other words, better fuel economy). The only benefit I am aware of of the 160* thermostat is that the cooler engine temperatures allow for more ignition advance while reducing the chance of detonation. I you have no intentions of tuning your car for higher performance, I'd just let the car run a little warmer so you don't sacrifice the fuel efficiency.

 

The stock thermostat is a 180°. I don't know why you would want to run anything hotter than that.

 

Refer to above post.

 

180° is plenty hot for emissions, efficiency and gas mileage. Some other cars came with 195° thermostats. The LT1 does not need it.

 

"above post" promoting the use a 195*F thermostat does not take into consideration the unique "reverse flow" cooling that GM used on the LT1 engine (and only on the LT1 engine). GM had fuel economy and emissions on their minds.... and they chose the 180*F 'stat, to reflect the fact that the coolant flow to the heads first. That's what allowed the aluminum head LT1 to achieve its unique (at the time) mix of HP, torque and fuel economy.

Those who have gone to a 160* t'stat on the LT1, coupled with reduced fan on/off temps and revised timing maps have seen 10HP gains, with no perceptible loss of fuel economy, while still meeting the most stringent rolling emissions tests.

There's an interesting paper that GM presented to the Society of Automotive Engineers in 1992 outlining the development of the LT1 engine, and its unique cooling system.