Today I spoke with a Chevy rep at a service department. He told me that my car was running too cool and that I shouldn't have replaced the stock thermo with a 180 degree one. Told I should have left the 195 degree one. Was also told that the cooler programming by Madz should be changed back to stock. Basically he said that the engine is made to run at a particular temp and I have prevented that thus reducing performance. I have the programming by madz and my car runs cool. I thought this was good. Am I WRONG? Please set me straight on this. Thanks.

 

Don't listen to the dealership when it comes from performance. Especially when it comes to something like tuning. LT1 running temps were designed for emissions and mileage, not performance.

 

ahahah dealers make me laugh... i called up a chevy dealer service center, i showed them i had this they asked what model and make of the car... i said "Pontia..." he said "We only service chevys not pontiacs here... i said "umm... its on the TSB, its the exact same part.." and hung up

 

Bah. Don't worry about a thing. There are thousands of f-bodies running around with 160 thermos and aftermarket tuning. The 160 thermostat won't cause you to run any cooler by itself, and the stock thermo is a 180-degree thermo.

 

I read somewhere that max performance for LT1s (or other engines???) is at 175 degrees. Even with the 160* stat the temp will still get above that and most likely over 200 at some point. Do not listen to the dealer, at all.

 

You should have pointed out that, because of the "reverse flow" cooling of your LT1 engine, the STOCK thermostat is 180degF.

 

With a 160 thermo, programming, fans on all the time, EWP etc etc my motor runs right at 175* in the winter.

In the summer I run straight water and water wetter which helps dissipate heat a lot more, but the increased ambient temps negate that and I run right around 175* in the summer as well.

Edit - This is with two tranny coolers mounted in front on each side of the Y radiator support, they are blocking a crapload of airflow as the car used to run right above the 160 mark in the winter.

 

Werd.