Bogus info above.

You can run a 160° thermostat with no other modifications, no programming of fans, no nuttin'. What fan reprogramming does is keep the engine cooler when you are not moving. When you are moving, most times you don't even need the fans on.

If you have your fans set to come on at 160°, they will never go off. Bad idea and waste of fan motors. Your engine will normally run at 10°-20° higher than the thermostat temp, depending on ambient temp. If you have to run your fans all the time to keep the engine cool, you have other problems that have not been addressed.

If the PCM thought the "ideal operating temperature" was 180°-190°, why do the stock cooling fans not come on until 226°?

IMO, you want to find your normal operating temp and then set your fans to come on 5°-10° or more higher than that. There is no point in having the fans on all the time. Even the PCM normally turns the fans off at highway speeds, so that air can flow through unimpeded.

 

good info thanks shoebox

 

180 here fans reprogrammed for 190. Fuel burns more completly @ 200.

 

I have the stock thermostat and have the fans programmed to come on low speed at 195 and high speed at 210.

That's plenty for me.

Actually, I'm a little worried that they might be coming on sometimes even when I'm driving.



Dan

 

This should answer you questions very nicely
link

 

yes very good, you have some guys that like a hotter running engine and some that like cooler running engines, from what i read its a toss up of what is a good overall temp, but from what im gathering from the threads, having my 160 stat and having my fans go on at 160 degree's wasnt a good idea, i just hope having it run that cool for 3 years didnt do any damage to the engine, it runs strong and there's no sign of problems as of yet, again my only reason to even bring this up in the first place was to try and get better gas mileage, i never knew running the LT1 that cold could cause premature wear

 

This has been a very imformative thread, but there has really been no answer one way or the other.

i've always been under the assumption that if your engine runs cooler, your protecting the internal parts and would increasing the life of your engine and some of the threads are saying just the oppisite, here.

so what i'm asking, if one the veterns could answer me, will i do any long term engine damage running a 160 stat and having the fans come on at 185 & 190.

thanks
zoso

 

No. Thats about perfect. The sooner you do it the better.