thermostat selection
- Thread starter atkonkler
- Start date
atkonkler
Is this your bush?
Re: thermostat selection
Found a good article alot of us I think should read and maybe benefit from..... http://www.tuneruniversity.com/blog/2012/04/low-temp-thermostats-whats-the-advantage/
Found a good article alot of us I think should read and maybe benefit from..... http://www.tuneruniversity.com/blog/2012/04/low-temp-thermostats-whats-the-advantage/
sytyguy
Moderated User
Re: thermostat selection
A 160 degF t-stat will keep the engine temp lower, theoretically allowing for more horsepower (by allowing for an increase in timing/boost without additional spark knock). However, this all assumes you have a chip tuned for that thermostat. With a stock chip, I have found it will actually do no good (and can even hurt*) as none of the bin's maps are tuned for that cool of an engine. Given a tuned chip you could possibly do some good, but it's near-abouts negligible. My advice would be to run a 180 degF t-stat unless you have tuning ability. I did some testing years ago with a Sierra 140 degF marine t-stat and found that the tune really suffers as you dive deeper into the coolant temp. I was able to tune it somewhat to my liking, but it took a lot of work and netted very little gains (if any....although this was the t-stat I had in back when I ran 30 psi boost, so take it FWIW).
*F34, F37, F10 and F14 are all driveability crucial maps that will suffer from an untuned chip mated with a <180 degF t-stat. Under the right conditions, you could have a high idle, and too rich AE/DE assistance.
A 160 degF t-stat will keep the engine temp lower, theoretically allowing for more horsepower (by allowing for an increase in timing/boost without additional spark knock). However, this all assumes you have a chip tuned for that thermostat. With a stock chip, I have found it will actually do no good (and can even hurt*) as none of the bin's maps are tuned for that cool of an engine. Given a tuned chip you could possibly do some good, but it's near-abouts negligible. My advice would be to run a 180 degF t-stat unless you have tuning ability. I did some testing years ago with a Sierra 140 degF marine t-stat and found that the tune really suffers as you dive deeper into the coolant temp. I was able to tune it somewhat to my liking, but it took a lot of work and netted very little gains (if any....although this was the t-stat I had in back when I ran 30 psi boost, so take it FWIW).
*F34, F37, F10 and F14 are all driveability crucial maps that will suffer from an untuned chip mated with a <180 degF t-stat. Under the right conditions, you could have a high idle, and too rich AE/DE assistance.
-Wip-
Typhoon
Re: thermostat selection
I would and do run a 160 stat on my stock truck. My truck used to run terrible and when I put the high flow water pump, 160 stat, and new rad, it was night and day on how much better it runs when it's between 160-170 instead of 195. Hasn't had any negative effect on my stock chipped truck. Always runs real cool even in the summer. I have no experience with the 180 stat but if I can run 20 degrees cooler for the same price and time, Im doing it. Just my :2cents:
I would and do run a 160 stat on my stock truck. My truck used to run terrible and when I put the high flow water pump, 160 stat, and new rad, it was night and day on how much better it runs when it's between 160-170 instead of 195. Hasn't had any negative effect on my stock chipped truck. Always runs real cool even in the summer. I have no experience with the 180 stat but if I can run 20 degrees cooler for the same price and time, Im doing it. Just my :2cents:
atkonkler
Is this your bush?
Re: thermostat selection
I got a 180 degree & 160 degree high flow thermostat by stewart coming...I run the 8881 high flow edelbrock. ..so I think this will help...just was fishing for opinions and others exp.....I'm removing the coolant lines from the turbo...then I'm wiring in a turbo timing to combat the coking that could occur after shutdown. I'll have alittle write up on it with pictures for others to see...
I got a 180 degree & 160 degree high flow thermostat by stewart coming...I run the 8881 high flow edelbrock. ..so I think this will help...just was fishing for opinions and others exp.....I'm removing the coolant lines from the turbo...then I'm wiring in a turbo timing to combat the coking that could occur after shutdown. I'll have alittle write up on it with pictures for others to see...
atomicmecha
I hate rust
Re: thermostat selection
I've got a 160, the 8881 pump waiting to go on during my rebuild. Looking forwards to the cooler engine bay. I'm also going to be tuning mine once everything is in place to take advantage of the cooler engine. I thought about putting them on now, but I have too many other things atm and why put it on when I'm going to have to take it back off in 2 months.
I put a 160 in my blazer several years ago and it made the world of difference. Still runs warm but it doesn't feel like its about to overheat anymore during the summer.
I've got a 160, the 8881 pump waiting to go on during my rebuild. Looking forwards to the cooler engine bay. I'm also going to be tuning mine once everything is in place to take advantage of the cooler engine. I thought about putting them on now, but I have too many other things atm and why put it on when I'm going to have to take it back off in 2 months.
I put a 160 in my blazer several years ago and it made the world of difference. Still runs warm but it doesn't feel like its about to overheat anymore during the summer.
Don W.
Stab it and steer it
Re: thermostat selection
Interesting article. I agree 100%. Here's my experience. I have a "high flow" pump. (aftermarket, don't know the brand but it is not Eldebrock .) Previously, even with a "high flow" 160* t-stat it was difficult to keep the motor cool. IE say, below 170*.
Fast forward to last fall and I put in the standard flow 180* stat. Bingo. With aftermarket temp ga I can monitor the temps carefully. I can watch the temp rise to about 170*. At about that point the temp rise almost stops as the stat begins to open and heat the water in the rad. Shortly the temp will rise again the about 175. A full throttle pass will put the temps a little above 180 but it cools back down fairly quickly. (There's lots of heat in the motor at this time and it just doesn't magically disappear when I let up on the throttle.)
Motor stays pretty close to 180* the rest of the time. I DO NOT HAVE AC.
Note: This is with a smaller dia crank pulley which slows all the other pulleys. ALSO this entire setup has yet to be run on a truly hot day. (Air temps well above 90)
Short version: IMHO the standard t-stat slows/restricts the flow through the radiator allowing more time for the water to cool before it returns to the motor. We'll see how this all works when summer hits.
So I vote for the stock STYLE stat, not high-flow, you pic the temp.
Interesting article. I agree 100%. Here's my experience. I have a "high flow" pump. (aftermarket, don't know the brand but it is not Eldebrock .) Previously, even with a "high flow" 160* t-stat it was difficult to keep the motor cool. IE say, below 170*.
Fast forward to last fall and I put in the standard flow 180* stat. Bingo. With aftermarket temp ga I can monitor the temps carefully. I can watch the temp rise to about 170*. At about that point the temp rise almost stops as the stat begins to open and heat the water in the rad. Shortly the temp will rise again the about 175. A full throttle pass will put the temps a little above 180 but it cools back down fairly quickly. (There's lots of heat in the motor at this time and it just doesn't magically disappear when I let up on the throttle.)
Motor stays pretty close to 180* the rest of the time. I DO NOT HAVE AC.
Note: This is with a smaller dia crank pulley which slows all the other pulleys. ALSO this entire setup has yet to be run on a truly hot day. (Air temps well above 90)
Short version: IMHO the standard t-stat slows/restricts the flow through the radiator allowing more time for the water to cool before it returns to the motor. We'll see how this all works when summer hits.
So I vote for the stock STYLE stat, not high-flow, you pic the temp.