Ok I need answer to something of a myth I have been hearing. I plan on buying an Hypertech 160 Degree Thermostat but I heard that since the temp setting is so low it actually will reduce the life of my LT1. Something about the piston sleeves staying to tight causing the rings to go out quicker. I could understand this say if the engine stayed around 100 degrees, but the 160 thermostat should be hot enough right?

 

Don't see how a ring issue is possible since the block and rings will expand at the same rate. The piston itself may expand at a different rate but not that it would cause a problem. The important temperature point is to get above the closed loop temp. If the temperature stays below that point, the engine will run way to rich. I believe our engines go into closed loop at 140 but not absolutely sure.

 

I run My Z wit out the stat and run fine, here allways is at 75 to 100 F and the car keep at 160 to 220 F in the traffic.

 

There are no sleeves in a factory LT-1.The 160* will be fine.

 

160 T-Stat is fine. In traffic, you're still gonna heat up past 210 any. At cruising speed is where you see the big benefit of the new T-Stat...I used to cruise around 205, now at highway speeds, I'm running around 180.

 

Damn man, lower your fan temps!!!

I have a 160 degree thermo, 50/50 water anti mixture, and a stock pump, and my car has never gone over 185 even on a 100 degree day in some traffic.

Less heat in the cooling system = less heat lost = more energy put towards moving the car = more power

Thats why IC engines are so inefficient, most of the energy goes out the radiator

 

Same here. In dead traffic it stays at like 180-185.

 

Mine hardly ever sees 185 only in traffic with the ac on.

 

180 degrees is the ideal temp for engines for a balance power and longevity. How you get there is up to you.

 

160 and programming by PCM for less, mine NEVER gets past 170 even in August. MY car is actually a pain in the winter because it never seems to heat up. I freeze to death before i get to the office after a half hour drive in January.

 

For those of you taking a temp reading from the dash gauge, you may be off 10+*. The oem analog gauge is not very accurate.

 

Going through some GM information on the LT1 engines they are designed to be optimized at 180 degrees. Meaning you get the car running better and more efficant in the long run at 180. A lower temp stat is fine in these cars, but like said before you'll see the differance at crusing speeds rather then traffic. Also a really good cooling system flush and cleaning job, does wonders to keep an LT1 system operating the best. I had this done on my 94 and my 95 andy they both lowered like 15 degrees in the same conditions.

 

with my meizrer water pump, 160 t-stat and fans set to 165 I was able to keep 167 degrees in traffic. It never went any higher. Though i have heard the motor will run better at 180 when kept n/a. I now keep mine at 180.

 

fans set to 165? damn man. that means your fan or fans were on all the time. and it stayed at 167 all the time? damn thats nice and cool. i have a stock water pump radiator and a 160 t-stat with a manual fan switch i turn it on low speed and it will keep it at 180 in traffic. hardly ever use high speed. i can idle and stay with the low speed fan and have the temp never go higher thatn 180. 165 is damnn cool. never heard of someone keeping their car that coo. sweet tho man.