what does a 180 degree stat do compaired to whatever the stock one is and what diff does it make?

 

FYI, the reason these cars run at a higher temp stock is for more efficient fuel utilization...

 

What Liberty said is absolutely true.

BUT running cooler means more power and ability to make more power with mods + tune. Who gives a **** about 1 mpg when they're extensively modding their cars?

Not I

And FYI switching to a 180* thermostat and kicking the fans on high at 185 has yet to show adverse affects in my fuel mileage. And I've been driving with it in there for over a year now =P Still getting 21 mpg...

And also to answer the question above. Cooler temps help prevent knock. A cooler engine means you can run more timing without knocking, or pre-detonation, translating into more horsepower.

 

^ Do you run this car in the winter? How is your heat level with the lower stat?

 

I did run it in the winter up until this winter, it's getting stored. I haven't been able to tell any difference in heat. The heater core performs just the same all the way down to about 170* and then it drops off a bit at 160*. It's not like my car is blasting 200* air at me with the heat on you know

 

well out of the three things i did to my car that weekend, i dont think that the stat was the most abvious power gain, and if that were the only thing i did, i probably woulndt have been able to tell the difference, but it will help once i get a tune and other supporting mods.

 

Just a thermostat will not give you any power. Maybe 1 HP for every 30 degrees of engine temp. But you can be more aggressive with tuning which allows you to make more power in return.

Ambient air temp is where it's at. Every 10F of incoming air theoretically provides or robs 2 HP. The larger the engine, the more the difference of course.