I have a 160 degree stat, and in temps around 70-80 degrees it would still stay pretty cool (around 170-175). After I installed the headers and the temp seems to rise to about the first mark (185). Even last night when the temps were around 59 degrees.

Is this because the temp sending sensor is located right near the headers on the dirvers side and it is getting heat soaked from being so close?

 

Are your headders coated?

 

The more horsepower you make, the hotter your car runs. But it helps if you have ceramic coated headers too.

 

Yes, they are coated....Jet Hot long tubes

 

ttt

 

185 is a good temperature to be at. You were running too cool before. Cool is not fast. Hot is fast.

 

Spinner I am almost potitive it is the other way around. Cooler is faster, hot is slower. Car is always gonna be more slugish when its hot. Paul gimmie headers kthx

 

Actually, hot vs. cool works both ways. The more heat you keep in the combustion chamber, the more power you make. The more heat that leaves the combustion chamber, and enters the coolant, the less power you make.

However, there are two other considerations. 1) By lowering the head temps you can sometimes advance timing and make up more power than you lost. 2) if lowering the coolant temp reduces heat pickup in the intake track, you might recover some of the lost HP, due to a denser intake charge.

Works both ways. After extensive dyno tuning - both engine and chassis - my setup runs at 195degF.

There is a big increase in underhood temps with headers, even if they are coated. That would increase operating temperature slightly. One other area where the engine can pick up heat from headers is through the oil pan/filter area.... its worth looking at some wrap in the immediate area of the filter, if the clearance is tight.

 

This is very true...also running too cool can cause actual internal damage to the engine.