weinerschizel

What temperature does the stock LT1 thermostat open up at?

Injuneer

Starts to open at 180*F.

LUDA0840

isnt the stock tstat the 195??? Thats what my car had until I put the 160 on.

Injuneer

I still have my 94's OEM t'stat in a box, and it is marked 180*F.

fredmr39

How do you know you car had a 195* t-stat? If your car's gauge read around 195*, that's because that is when the stock 180* stat is FULLY open...

96capricemgr

With a 160 stat a car will run usually 174-180 not 160 this is normal. My high mile wagon(LT1) with a lot of old parts runs around 200 with a stock 180 stat and again yes 180 is stock.

Injuneer explained it very well I think yesterday but the low stat temp has to do with the reverse flow cooling and in the end arrives at cylinder temps equal to a warmer stat in a gen1 motor.

weinerschizel

Cool thanks. I had a guy at the parts store tell me it was 195 and I was pretty sure he was full of bunk.

~Matt

96capricemgr

195 was what most smallblocks(and other engine for that matter) used the 180 in the LT1 is really quite odd for the time period. As you learn more about your car you will come to realize how little most mechanics and parts store employees actually know.

LUDA0840

its cause when I took my thermo of the one it had was a 195. Now it runs about 180 with the 160 on. No fan switch or anything.