[1LE caSSper]

Has anyone done this can write out a walk through? As many hours as I've put under the hood I've never unstained a thermostat.

I think it'll be beneficial for the track & something won't void warranties for us track junkies for only 60$.

Do we have to drain the coolant system to install? And which housing are we taking apart to swap the oem one out?

Pics would be great if anyone has anyone

[glenB]

I haven't and don't plan to. IMO a 160* does nothing to help the performance.

In a street environment you need temp in the oil to burn off contaminates. In a track setting you need even temps in the block for it to operate properly as designed. An engine that runs too cool will wear faster and not operate at the best efficiency. That's why the top guys use water heaters to get the blocks up to temp.

In a track environ, I would run a 195 stat and use the fan and coolers to keep the temps in line in order to run maximum timing 'the given reason for the low temp stat'. Even Nascar teams run about 210 on the track.

To get any kind of performance from that low a thermostat you'll need the fan on/off temps rest in the PCM. The fans are what really regulates the temp, the stat just lets it warm up faster. A 160 will cause it to warm up slower by fully opening sooner and allowing more circulation at a lower temp.

[SC88]

I will be installing a Weapon X 160 t-stat when it arrives.

You don't necessarily need to drain ALL the coolant if you have hose clamps but you will lose some coolant opening up the housing to replace the thermostat.

The thermostat housing is located on the water pump. It's the Black housing with two aluminum bolts and two hoses on it.

[PRAY]

160* is to cold. Run a 180* stat. I have run different temps on the dyno and best power is made right around 177-182*. Above and below that the car loses power. On the street you will be right where you need to be to maintain gas mileage as well. On the track if you sit in the staging lanes you will still run hot by the end of your burn out. You can't turn the fans on any earlier than 196* in the tune. So the 180* stat doesn't do you any good sitting still. You could find another way to run the fans earlier I guess.

The install is extremely simple and takes about 10 minutes. Elevate your front end 6-10". Let the car completely cool. Drain your overflow tank or take vice grips and crimp the hose from it and the radiator to the T-stat housing. Stuff towels under the T-Stat housing with enough towel to stuff into the water pump once you have the T-stat out. Remove the housing, press in on the top of the springs and push to the right or left with a small twist. Replace the T-stat and reverse process. Vacuum up any spilled coolant.

[stella16]

I'm not saying that you are in this category, but a lot of people think opposite about how a thermostat works. Rember that it opens to let coolant out of the radiator and into the engine, at the set temp.

So, the higher the temp rating, the longer that the coolant is held in the radiator to be cooled. There is a balance, a fine line ti get your engine to run at a certain temp....

just food for thought

[PRAY]

Originally Posted by stella16

I'm not saying that you are in this category, but a lot of people think opposite about how a thermostat works. Rember that it opens to let coolant out of the radiator and into the engine, at the set temp.

So, the higher the temp rating, the longer that the coolant is held in the radiator to be cooled. There is a balance, a fine line ti get your engine to run at a certain temp....

just food for thought

If that was directed to me then we agree. The thermostat controls running temp with adequate airflow over the radiator. Thermostats are also rated at their opening temp. Not their complete open temp. Some can take 20* to open. The stock thermo is a 196* but the fans don't turn on till the high 2 teens or 2twenties.

[SC88]

Do these LT motors run cooler then the ls motors? The reason I ask is because I ran 160 thermostats all day in my LS motors here in Chicago with the Heat and Humidity I would have coolant temps in the 190's, When running the A/C it would jump to low 200's.

I am currently installing a Magnuson which uses the coolant to cool + adding another cooler in front of the radiator will only slow down cooling more what's your thoughts on that?

[PRAY]

Originally Posted by SC88

Do these LT motors run cooler then the ls motors? The reason I ask is because I ran 160 thermostats all day in my LS motors here in Chicago with the Heat and Humidity I would have coolant temps in the 190's, When running the A/C it would jump to low 200's.

I am currently installing a Magnuson which uses the coolant to cool + adding another cooler in front of the radiator will only slow down cooling more what's your thoughts on that?

The LT motors don't run cooler. If anything they run hotter since there is no fuel going through the intake runner of the head. As stated above, the T-stat needs the fans or moving air it operate correctly. At a certain temp it is hard for coolant temps to drop regardless of air flow. In 05' GM changed access to the fan turn on temps. So in traffic the car is going to run at where the fans come on regardless of the T-stat temp.

[parish8]

Pray, I have my fan running at a low speed all the time. You might not be able to regulate it below a certain temp but you can get it to come on.

I have all that turbo stuff under there and figured it would be good to keep a little air flowing around it at all times.

[PRAY]

Originally Posted by parish8

Pray, I have my fan running at a low speed all the time. You might not be able to regulate it below a certain temp but you can get it to come on.

I have all that turbo stuff under there and figured it would be good to keep a little air flowing around it at all times.

Sorry, I didn't clarify. Yes you can have your fan on all the time. It also runs most of the time with the A/C on. If you want to avoid having it on all the time then 198* is the minimum. There is a 196* table but if you populate it the fans stay on. I will be honest that I haven't experimented with the E92 so much. I was happy with just changing the fan settings to what I have.

[1LE caSSper]

Interesting input thanks for the install guide fellas

[Megahurtz]

Gone are the days of the L98 and early LT1's where the 160 Thermostat made power since it kept the coolant temps lower which would allow the ECU to add more timing, hence more power.

Now there is no reason to run a 160 degree thermostat on the street. The above is no longer true.

[1LE caSSper]

The thermostat should run Temps cooler while lapping still correct?

What's wrong with that?

Also won't it not affect any driving temps in traffic because the car will naturally run & idle around 200 ? Fans don't turn on till 220 I thought

[Megahurtz]

Originally Posted by 1LE caSSper

The thermostat should run Temps cooler while lapping still correct?

What's wrong with that?

Also won't it not affect any driving temps in traffic because the car will naturally run & idle around 200 ? Fans don't turn on till 220 I thought

It wouldn't be a bad thing at the track, I doubt it would really run any cooler over all though in the scenario.

In normal driving the temps will probably stay cooler when the car is moving since the fans don't come on until a higher temp. But again, there is zero advantage to a 160 Tstat anymore. Literally adds no performance advantage at all and hinders the oils ability to evaporate humidity on short trips.

If I'm not mistaken, there is actually a performance decrease (less timing and more fuel) in the OEM tune on the 16+ ECU's at 160F. The tune expects the coolant temps to reach 190 before it allows full spark advance. I'd have to go check my OEM tune to confirm but I'm at work right now.