Is switching to 160 stat (along with reprogramming
the fans) going to lower transmission temperature
by about 20 deg ?
And if so, is it still a good idea to install a transmission
cooler or would that be an overkill ?

 

I don't think there will be much difference in trans temps with the 160° thermo and fans. I could be wrong, but it's not going to come close to what an actual cooler will do.

Either way, the cooler is dirt cheap insurance. Definitely toss one in. It's a very easy install and you can pick up a Hayden at Autzone for $50ish.

 

the thermostat or fans will have nothing to do wiht trans temp. If you want to get that cooler you will need a tranny cooler!

 

I thought transmission cooling lines
run through radiator which with 160
stat should be cooler.

 

the thermostat is on the engine. it controls engine temp.

with a 160* thermostat the radiators water/anti-freeze temperature isn't going to be any cooler.
you could take out the thermostat and it wouldn't have any affect on the transmissions temperature, all it would do is make it so your engine takes forever to warm up.

the difference is the thermostat opens sooner(at a lower temp).

the only way to cool the transmission without a transmission cooler would be a bigger/better radiator. if that, but that'd wouldn't be cost efficient compared to a tranny cooler.

this is all my opinion. i could be wrong. if anyone knows better, chime in.

 

I guess you could argue the point that if the engine coolant is cooler with the 160° thermostat, the tranny would be a little cooler, since the coolant lines pass through the radiator.

 

yeah, but how is a 160* thermostat gonna make the coolant cooler?

the radiator is only going to keep the coolant as cold as it can, no matter what thermostat you have. the advantage of having a lower temp thermostat is the coolant starts circulating the engine passages at 160, instead of 195*.

that's why your engine will get up to 220 even with a 160* thermostat, if you're parked for very long. because eventually, the engine coolant will get hotter and hotter. it takes the wind from going down the road (or the fans that kick on at like 225 or something) to cool the radiator back down, and that brings the coolant temp down.

atleast this is how i've always understood cooling systems to work.

 

Say it's a hot day. You are moving slow in heavy traffic.
Your reprogrammed fans are kicking in 20 degrees
sooner cooling the radiator. Isn't that going to
keep the temp. in the radiato lower than with
stock setup?

 

yes it would. and i would assume a colder radiator would keep a tranny cooler too.....

but you were asking about a 160 thermostat keeping a transmission cooler..... and it wouldn't


edit: i re-read your first post.

i suppose the fans kicking on sooner would help keep the tranny cooler.

but why not just get a tranny cooler? they're like 50 dollars. and a new tranny is 1000+

 

As the original post read-- 160 stat along with
reprogrammed fans.

 

Typically, temps are 20° cooler with a 160° thermostat when there is adequate air flow across the radiator. Everyone knows that it will heat up the same when there is no air flow, so that is not the point of contention.

The radiator is efficient enough that it will allow further cooling with a lower temp thermostat.

BTW, the stock thermostat is 180°.

 

okay. i'm not saying the engine won't run cooler.

i'm saying the coolant that is physcially in the radiator, isn't going to be affected by the 160* thermostat....if it was it would only be that the engine is running a little cooler and not warming the coolant up as much. but that couldn't be more than a couple degrees.

but i don't see how a transmission is going to benifit from a 160* thermostat....

i mean, if someone had the tools and wanted to.....they could measure the temp of the coolant in a radiator with a 160* thermostat, and then let it completely cool down, and try it again with a 180*(thanks shoebox for educating me) thermostat.....

but it would be kinda hard cause the radiator cap would have to be on....but i'm sure there's someone who can measure the temp of the coolant in the RADIATOR, not in the engine.

i doubt there would be a difference.

there may be more to it than i know, but i was always under the impression a thermostat only controlled the temperature that coolant was allowed to pass from the engine into the radiator.

so basicly it breaks down, coolant that's in the block gets up to 160*, the thermostat opens up and coolant that is in the radiator(colder coolant) flows into the block and vice versa. then the coolant that is in the radiator is cooled off from 160*, and the coolant in the engine warms up to 160*, and it happens all over again. but i doubt the coolant will never reach temperatures above 160*, even if you're in constant motion.

i guess it would keep the coolant a little cooler. since the coolant would circulate at a lower temp...

if i think about it til my head hurts, i can see how it MIGHT help.
but i'd still just get a tranny cooler.....

 

So much for a yes or no answer.
What are you guys trying to do-kill me?
I am new to all this.

 

my advice, is just get a tranny cooler.

extremely cheap insurance, and they're pretty easy to install. even for a beginner.

however, a 160* thermostat and a reprogramming of the fans is also going to be a good thing to do. if you've only go money to do one, just do the fans/thermostat, and do the tranny cooler later...just don't do a bunch of burnouts or hard launches without a tranny cooler, or run a stall.

 

Thanks guys. I am going to cool down now.