160* Thermostat

[Castle]

Best cheap mod ever?

My car ran 210-ish in traffic, consistently.
SLP 160' thermo installed with the computer flashed to recognize it & I can now keep my 6 pack in the engine bay to stay cold.
It never runs any hotter than 175 now.

Anyone else notice the HUGE difference it made?

[Tyler_LS1]

Best cheap mod ever?

My car ran 210-ish in traffic, consistently.
SLP 160' thermo installed with the computer flashed to recognize it & I can now keep my 6 pack in the engine bay to stay cold.
It never runs any hotter than 175 now.

Anyone else notice the HUGE difference it made?

That is a huge difference, you adjusted the fans right?

[0rion]

I would have to look back through logs but 175 sounds about right. I noticed mine crept up a few degrees when I put the tranny cooler in front of the radiator but it still stays right around 180 or so.

[Y2KPewterSS]

I wouldn't call it the best cheap mod ever.

[Castle]

Yes the fans come on more often now.

[markzman97]

On my 97 Z it made a big difference at the track you could really tell at top end. I havn't put one on the SS but would be one of my next mods if I keep it.

[Firebirdjones]

I run a 160 in every car we own with good results. Although I have to admit my 02 SS left a little to be desired after the install.

It doesn't exactly operate at 160 degrees like the other cars I have. When logging my car I found the stat doesn't even begin to open until around 172-173 degrees,,,so I couldn't program my fans any cooler than 180 degrees or they would just continuously run. Although they advertise LS1 thermostats at 160 degrees, they don't exactly work in that range,,,,at least for me.

To compound the problem I have this damn underdrive crank pulley,,,and the water pump turns so slow,,,,the fans will never shut off if the engine is idling,,,,water just doesn't move fast enough to pull the temperatures down. Even sitting outside the other day when it was 25 degrees outside,,,I left it run in the driveway while I shuffled cars around,,,the fans came on and stayed on. They will hold the temperature in the 182 degree range and thats it. Fans shut off at 180 on mine, but it will never get there idling. Once I hold the gas pedal to about 1200 rpms it cools instantly,,,,stupid underdrive pulley

Pulley is coming off,,,so it will go back to normal operation,,,,now if I could just find an LS1 thermostat that would operate at a cooler temperature I would be set.

[lonewolf37]

I run a 160 thermostat and an underdrive. To make that setup work you need a Mezeire electric water pump. My car runs cool even in Central California summers.
The best part is that the pump runs a constant speed to keep your motor cool in traffic.

[Frost]

I run a 160 in every car we own with good results. Although I have to admit my 02 SS left a little to be desired after the install.

It doesn't exactly operate at 160 degrees like the other cars I have. When logging my car I found the stat doesn't even begin to open until around 172-173 degrees,,,so I couldn't program my fans any cooler than 180 degrees or they would just continuously run. Although they advertise LS1 thermostats at 160 degrees, they don't exactly work in that range,,,,at least for me.

That has been my experience with nearly all of them that I have tuned... (opening/crack point)

[Firebirdjones]

I run a 160 thermostat and an underdrive. To make that setup work you need a Mezeire electric water pump. My car runs cool even in Central California summers.
The best part is that the pump runs a constant speed to keep your motor cool in traffic.

Those are nice to have,,,,but I just don't want that on a day to day street car.

[Firebirdjones]

That has been my experience with nearly all of them that I have tuned... (opening/crack point)

I was beginning to think I was the only one,,,,lol. I have found the same thing,,,,the opening/crack point seems to be around 171 or 172 degrees,,,which limits where I can set the fans unfortunately. I would like to see this thing about 10 degrees cooler,,but the thermostat won't allow it.


Too bad it won't work like a more conventional 160 stat.

[Frost]

Those are nice to have,,,,but I just don't want that on a day to day street car.

the street pump flows a LOT though; it cools better than factory except at WOT or long sustained high RPMs like road racing.

[Castle]

Are you guys seriously bummed it won't run at 160'?
The dramatic difference of the operating temperature was worth it to me.

[BULLET_WS6]

sorry to sound stupid but i thought you could just change the thermo and call it a day.. i didnt know anything else had to be done.. i was about to buy one because my friend did it and he just put it in... so how exactly do i do this... does it have to be done in a retune type deal?

[Frost]

sorry to sound stupid but i thought you could just change the thermo and call it a day.. i didnt know anything else had to be done.. i was about to buy one because my friend did it and he just put it in... so how exactly do i do this... does it have to be done in a retune type deal?

You don't have to, but I think fan2 (when set stock) doesn't even run until like 230-232deg... and fan1 is right at or over 200. I dunno how well they work in warm air without the fans to cool the water in the radiator. Doesn't seem like it would be so effective if you leave them stock though I suppose it will still help some.

[Firebirdjones]

the street pump flows a LOT though; it cools better than factory except at WOT or long sustained high RPMs like road racing.

Ya I know,,,,I just don't like the idea of an electric water pump that really gives little or no warning when it dies. You know how electrical components are. When it quits your dead, time to call a hook.

Maybe eventually they will come out with one rated more than 500 hours or whatever they are now.

Great for a race only car though,,,or a toy that doesn't see day to day street duty.

[Firebirdjones]

Are you guys seriously bummed it won't run at 160'?
The dramatic difference of the operating temperature was worth it to me.

Yes,,,,I am. I would really like to see the crack/open temp start closer to the 160 range,,,,158 or so would be nice,,,and be fully open by 162 or 163. Thats pretty much how a more conventional 160 stat works.

I could then set my fans much lower and more than likely never have the engine run over 170 degrees,,,the A/C wouldn't have to work so hard in the summer,,,,and the cooler temps would help fight detonation for those tuned on the edge.

As it is right now,,,the stat doesn't begin to open until 171 or 172 degrees,,,and is fully open around 175,,,,so I can't really set the fans cooler than 180 degrees,,,,as they just simply won't pull the motor down much cooler than that,,,and run continuously. So my motor runs in the 180-185 range most all the time,,,not anywhere near the 160 stat as advertised. Thats 25 degrees off,,,,,a pretty large difference by my standards......

I would like to get more aggressive with the tune, and a cooler temp would help with that,,,,since pump gas gets crappier everyday.

Unfortunately,,,from what I understand,,,these cooler stats for the LS1's are nothing more than a modified 195 stat. They take a smallish 1/8 inch spacer/ferrel and open the stat slightly for a cooler operating range,,,and this give you roughly a 175 degree stat,,,not a 160 as advertised.
If you space the stat too much farther they are stuck open too much in the closed position,,,,1/8 inch is about all you can do.

With that said,,,I am not sure if the aftermarket has stepped up to the plate and redesigned something that works at 160 or not,,,something I need to research. But as of right now,,,,all that I am aware of for LS1's are modified 195 stats basically that work in the 175 range.
If someone would come out with a stat that would work at 160 I would swap it in a heartbeat. I thought about experimenting with mine drilling 2-3 small holes about 3/16 inch around the circumference and see what happens. It's an old trick, used to eliminate air pockets and such when filling the system,,,,,just don't know how it would work on the LS1's,,,the cooling systems are a little different with a low mounted stat.

[Frost]

Ya I know,,,,I just don't like the idea of an electric water pump that really gives little or no warning when it dies. You know how electrical components are. When it quits your dead, time to call a hook.

Maybe eventually they will come out with one rated more than 500 hours or whatever they are now.

Great for a race only car though,,,or a toy that doesn't see day to day street duty.

I'm not sure what you are referring to here.... I know of at LEAST a dozen with over 50K miles and no issues. I haven't dropped the coin on one, but they sure are nice. Nice to leave them running with the car off for a bit at the track to get it cooled fast as well,.

[Firebirdjones]

I'm not sure what you are referring to here.... I know of at LEAST a dozen with over 50K miles and no issues. I haven't dropped the coin on one, but they sure are nice. Nice to leave them running with the car off for a bit at the track to get it cooled fast as well,.

Ya they are great at the track,,,I had one on a big block chevy that was a race car,,,great to cool between rounds.

I'm just not thrilled to have one on a street car. I guess you could say I just don't trust them enough. I'm sure there have been plenty on the street with mileage, as you stated. But I really prefer the good old mechanical pump with a long track record for a driver. Piece of mind thing I guess,,,lol.

[lonewolf37]

The electric pumps will not last as long as a mechanical pump. Mezeire has a two year warranty on their pumps.
Mine was rebuilt under warranty after one year.
If you hear the pump getting louder, the seals are going. If you ignore it, the armature is next.
They do work, just not forever.