Wanna put a 160 thermostat in..Just making sure no one has had any problems with one ... no codes or anything... is it worth the 50 bucks for it?

 

Not worth it, and won't make the engine run any cooler unless you do all your driving at highway speed or program the PCM to turn the fans on at a lower temperature.

 

I know a guy who has the programmer and can set the fans to kick on sooner

 

Then the engine will run cooler, but I dubt you are going to feel any difference in performance, being that the PCM programming is optimized for the hotter temp. $50 for t'stat is pretty steep, $20 would be more realistic.

 

I run a 160º stat and my scanner shows about 190º - 195º coolant temp with normal driving.
Highway driving shows about 175º.
My fans aren't reprogrammed. If I sit and idle the coolant temp goes up to 226º and the the first fan turns on (default). Temps drop almost immediately to 195º and then start to climb all over again and the cycle repeats. I don't know at what temp the fan turns off. The high speed fan never turns on. I believe it's set to come on at 235º.
I should readjust my fan settings one of these days. I think the 175º, 195º temp's big jump up to 226º at idle can't be good. The stock 197º stat temps of 210º up to the 226º isn't as radical of a jump.
I would have liked it if my normal driving temp was around 180, but I believe with a CAI in front if the radiator, the air flow up from the bottom is a little obstructed.
I don't want to get into the pros and con of a cooler running engine. I'll just say that I'm happy with my choice.


You can buy a 160 stat from O'Rielly's for about $21.00. It's a Murry Plus brand, the part # is 37960. They may have to order it. I believe therms are made by one company, Moto Rad, under different names even those sold by the performance stores. What a rip off !
http://www.motoradusa.com/catalog.ph...+FI+N+VIN%3A+G,


John

 

Sorry could not get on my computer.. so if i put the 160 deg. tt stat, and kick the fans on earlier, if let it sit and idle, its still gonna run around 225 deg?.. Im just trying to get her running cool thanks for the info on the the price at O'Rileys.. thats alot better than paying 50 bucks

 

If you adjust your fans to come on earlier, they will turn on at that setting at idle and never allow the temps to go above that.

The stock 197º has the low speed fans turn on at 226º which is a 29º or 14.7% increase. The high speed fans come on at 235 which is 9º hotter
When I do mine soon, a starting point for me with the 160º t stat will be 189º slow speed fan start which is the same 29º, 14.7% increase as the stock settings. I don't know what to set the turn off at

Check this out
HPTuners programming for dummies - LS1LT1 Forum : LT1, LS1, Camaro, Firebird, Trans Am, Engine Tech Forums

I need to do some more research to see if I really know what I'm talking about

 

I had a 160* thermostat in the 98 Z28 A4 I used to have, and from what the in-car gauge read, it ran cooler in traffic and on the highway. I don't know how much it helped by itself, but with the 160* thermostat, Borla catback, K&N intake, and Granatelli wires, my car ran 0.5-0.6 second faster than stock.

 

Hey guys, not trying to take over the thread or anything but what temp are the factory set fans supposed to turn on at? Today I was driving and my Temp when over 210 which it has never done before. When I got home I left the car running at idle and it went back to 210 but the fans were not on. ??? When I turned the A/C on they both came on but I know they're supposed to come on then. Someone told me that my temp sensor might be out. What do you guys think?

 

`225 on 219 (I think) off at low speed. 235 on 226 off at hi speed