160 degree thermostat

**orange T/A** · 09-03-2010, 07:21 AM

I have a truck with 5.3 in it will it benefit me any to put a 160 degree thermostat in it, or would it be better to stay with whatever the stock thermostat was.

**rkvette** · 09-03-2010, 07:45 AM

i would stay with the stock one ! reason is if running to cool wont get hot enough, to burn off sludge/condisation, no heat or defroster, etc.. this is one time think gm ,did correct thing ..!! rkvette

**Smittro** · 09-03-2010, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by rkvette

i would stay with the stock one ! reason is if running to cool wont get hot enough, to burn off sludge/condisation, no heat or defroster, etc.. this is one time think gm ,did correct thing ..!! rkvette

This..
As well it's possible that it could cause it to never reach "closed loop" because the comp will be looking for operational temps and 160 degrees is'nt it on a stock tune..

**orange T/A** · 09-03-2010, 08:16 AM

Yes motor is all stock, sounds like I will stick with the stock thermostat

**Smittro** · 09-03-2010, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by orange T/A

Yes motor is all stock, sounds like I will stick with the stock thermostat

You could always have a tuner reprogram the fans to kick on @ a lower temp if you think you might be running a little warm.

**blue02Z** · 09-03-2010, 08:38 AM

Mine runs bueno with the 160* plus its not a true 100% 160* stat. But i also have my fans tuned

**sjsingle1** · 09-04-2010, 07:36 AM

if you were in texas.......i would say go 160....but in cooler states ...not really.....i looked at my stock stat the other day.....it read 187

**SSTODD** · 09-07-2010, 07:25 AM

Trucks don't have electric fans, they are still running clutch fans. It would only help while driving/pushing air thru.

**blue02Z** · 09-07-2010, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by SSTODD

Trucks don't have electric fans, they are still running clutch fans. It would only help while driving/pushing air thru.

ugh 05 up, iirc, have electric fans not fan clutches

**Firebirdjones** · 09-07-2010, 12:41 PM

It's really up to you and what you do with the truck. If you do alot of towing I'd lean towards a cooler stat.
I'm not sure what year truck we are dealing with here or if the trucks went through a design change in their stats like the LS2's did later. But the early LS stats although advertised as a 160 really operate in the 175 range anyway. So you'll find the engine runs around 180 degrees most of the time because of that.
It's cooler than a factory stat, but not enough to cause any harm. Although I can't speak for the truck tunes, but the 4th gen tunes are programmed to hit closed loop at around 100 degrees. So no worries there either. I would think the truck tunes would be similar in that respect, afterall, the EPA wants these vehicles to hit closed loop as soon as possible for emmissions reasons.
That's another reason for the hot 195 stats too, to burn off more emmissions.

**SSTODD** · 09-08-2010, 02:12 AM

Originally Posted by blue02Z

ugh 05 up, iirc, have electric fans not fan clutches

My 07 5.3 SAAB(trailblazer clone) still had a clutch fan? I wonder which vehicles did.

**Smittro** · 09-08-2010, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by SSTODD

Trucks don't have electric fans, they are still running clutch fans. It would only help while driving/pushing air thru.

But F-body has not had clutch fans in over 30 years..

Clutch fans where big POS's.. Even when they "worked", they did'nt really work right.

Most of the time you ended up with it draging on the motor because the so called "clutch" would seize up or break inside leaving you with ZERO fan.. Most vehicles now have 2 fans as well..

**SSTODD** · 09-08-2010, 04:24 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

F-body has not had clutch fans in over 30 years..

Clutch fans where big POS's.. Even when they "worked", they did'nt really work right.

Most of the time you ended up with it draging on the motor because the so called "clutch" would seize up or break inside leaving you with ZERO fan..

Yes, but the OP was asking about a 5.3 "truck" and the 160 stat.

**Smittro** · 09-08-2010, 04:35 AM

Originally Posted by SSTODD

Yes, but the OP was asking about a 5.3 "truck" and the 160 stat.

I lost my train of thought whilest typing.. I was think about the early pos clutch fans..

**Firebirdjones** · 09-08-2010, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by SSTODD

My 07 5.3 SAAB(trailblazer clone) still had a clutch fan? I wonder which vehicles did.

You are right. My fathers (02 or 03??) 3/4 ton pickup with a 6.0 motor uses the good ole clutch fan. He installed a cooler stat in that truck as well, works nicely and stays a bit cooler when towing the car trailer.

**Firebirdjones** · 09-08-2010, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

But F-body has not had clutch fans in over 30 years..

Clutch fans where big POS's.. Even when they "worked", they did'nt really work right.

Most of the time you ended up with it draging on the motor because the so called "clutch" would seize up or break inside leaving you with ZERO fan.. Most vehicles now have 2 fans as well..

That's a little harsh smittro. I still use clutch fans on 3 of my vehicles. Been in service for 40 years without a hickup. More than I can say for some of the electric fan cars I've had. There is always that dependability issue for me. The less electronics the better.

They work very well, which is why you still see them in heavy duty applications like the trucks for example that see alot of heavy hauling and towing. GM still uses them for a reason.

**SSTODD** · 09-08-2010, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

That's a little harsh smittro. I still use clutch fans on 3 of my vehicles. Been in service for 40 years without a hickup. More than I can say for some of the electric fan cars I've had. There is always that dependability issue for me. The less electronics the better.

They work very well, which is why you still see them in heavy duty applications like the trucks for example that see alot of heavy hauling and towing. GM still uses them for a reason.

They do ROAR when first started and driven, until the fluid inside gets loose and moving because my 4.2 and 5.3 Trailblazer styles made so much noise my wife thought she broke the truck

**Firebirdjones** · 09-08-2010, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by SSTODD

They do ROAR when first started and driven, until the fluid inside gets loose and moving because my 4.2 and 5.3 Trailblazer styles made so much noise my wife thought she broke the truck

Ya they make a bit of noise. My wifes 05 rubicon jeep had one factory on that 4.0 6 banger, it was a bit noisy cold too.

I still use them on 3 of the older muscle cars. One I still use on my 640 HP chevelle and it runs almost too cold, somedays never getting over 155 degrees. Some of the other cars I run direct drive fans, pulls a ton of air but costs HP. It's been shown the clutch fans free up as much as 18 HP at the flywheel over the direct drive stuff at peak rpm.

**rkvette** · 09-08-2010, 04:06 PM

clutch fans ? last one i had was on my1967 big block/427/435 horses covette,conv... we tried all factory clutch fans! and drilled out 160/180 themostats, no help in slow traffic ,or parades !! boiling and super hot- one time in a slow parade on a hot day-- melted battery they are not far from large factory side pipes, on pass.side... all our newer cars 2006 monte ss v8/2008 impala ss v8/2007 covette zo6/2009 zr1 corvette , all have electric fans, no problems any time, anywhere. rkvette

**Firebirdjones** · 09-09-2010, 07:58 AM

That's because older vettes have shitty and very small grille openings and the radiator is laid back at a 45 degree angle. You have to have the tune right and everything working properly to keep those things cool. This would be one instance where electric fans could benefit, since you can't get the belt driven fan perpendicular and close to the radiator where it would be most beneficial.

I too had a 71 454 Vette, a 30,000 mile original with A/C. Everything on that car was 30 years old at the time. In traffic with the A/C on it would climb to around 200, but never overheated. Once moving it would cool down to a reasonable level.

If I can run a big block chevelle with 640 HP on a stock clutch fan and never hit over 175 degrees, I'd say anyone can if they have their stuff right. Did that on a stock brass radiator too. Now have an aluminum and can't get the thing past 165 on a hot day. Can't improve on that so electric fans would only free up some HP for me. But I like the dependability of a good ole belt driven fan.

Don't get me wrong, I like the electric fans, they have their place. I just don't find them as usefull as people crack them up to be. I've had them quit after only 60,000 miles and leave me stuck. There is always that dependability issue with me more than anything. Last thing I want to be is stuck on the side of the road in a high dollar classic car nowadays.