extremecorvette

I’m going to have a 11.4:1 CR and I’ve been looking into using a 160 degree thermostat. I’ve been told that the cooler your engine is running the more aggressive timing you can run without getting knock. Is there any real benefits? :rant:

Thanks guys, I'm going to use a 160 and I'm thinking of setting the fans to come on at 165 and going off at 160. What temps do you think is best for the fans to come on at and go off?? :cheers:

??????? Everyone’s got there opinion and I would like to know hard facts that have been dyno tested or drag strip tested. I’ve been told both ways more than once. That that car makes more power at hi temps and others say more power at lower temps. What way is it? Some one has had to have dyno or strip tested this out. Help???


[Modified by extremecorvette, 12:14 PM 3/25/2003] :banghead:


[Modified by extremecorvette, 2:01 PM 3/26/2003]


[Modified by extremecorvette, 2:01 PM 3/26/2003]

zznotop

Yes, as long as you get something that allows you to adust the kick on/off temps of the cooling fans. The Predator will do it as will LS1 edit, HyperTech III, etc. Or go to a a tuner with LS1 edit. You can also buy a Constant Monitor Fan Controller ($150 - $195). Hey, for a couple hundred more, get aprogrammer (Predator, Hypertech) and enjoy the other features available.

CJS

I want to know this too! Also I have read on this forum that some brands don't work very well. Also what about the DIY mod? I want to do this before dyno tuning, because my vette feels stronger when it is at a lower temp.

shafman1

One thing that I have read makes me believe that it will definitely be necessary to Reprogram the computer. Otherwise, the car may not run right since the computer will see the car as not reaching the normal operating temperature. I'm sure there are people on the forum that have more knowledge on this subject. :cheers:

Power Shifter

Like most questions there isen't one simple answer. But I will give you my .02, you need/want to be able to control your coolent temp under a wide range of conditions, if your looking for the last .001. The cooler T/S can be helpfull, especialy in hot conditions or hard running. As far as controling your fans..I run a manual switch and relay, to put 12v to pin 87 on the high speed fan relay. On the highway I let the factory fan setting work at the stock setings. My car runs at 172 at highway speeds, with no fans. In heavy trafic or at the track I open my center compartment and flip the manual switch as needed/wanted. Hope that helps. Ric

gojo

The car will run cooler on the road and my experience with a 172 stat was that the temp went up to 180-185 around town on warm days. Did not have it in during hot days. My 180 stat runs the same 180-185 around town. What I did not like with the colder stat was the effect on idle when the temps varied from below to above 180. Trans pressure also varies with temp.

Bill Dearborn

The real answer is not really. If you are really worried about the temp going too high while idling then get a switch to turn on the fan and the temp will hold right at the thermostat setting which is 190 degrees on the stock 195. If you are doing track driving with long stints at Wide Open Throttle your coolant temp will be hovering right around 230 even if you have a lower thermostat. The only way to get that temperature down is to install a larger radiator.
Bill

Daryl

So, for a mostly stock vette, changing the "stat" to say 180 degrees won't increase performance. :confused:

Power Shifter

I disagree bill. If your drag raceing rounds, the lower temo T/S lets you cool down more between rounds. It's easy to put heat in wial in staging and on the way to line. It's a bitch to cool it down. For me it's about control of temp at the track. Your right about long stints on a road course but it's still nice to be able to cool more between 20min stints, Right? Each to there own I guess. Ric

BobA

I have to agree with Power Shifter, being an old time drag racer (and new to Z06 Drag Racing) I notice that if you are back in staging at 180 or more you are at 230 after burn out. I lost .2 because of high temp.
I'm going for a lower stat and fan controller for my 03 Z06. I also might try a programmer after some research on what's out there for my car.
BobA :yesnod:

gojo

How does a lower temp stat cool down a car between rounds? :confused:

BobA

If you have a 190 stat it will stay closed till the temp is 190 then open for circulation. So if your car has cooled down with fans between round the 190 will bring temp up right away then open. If you have a 160 it will open at 160 and start to cool 30* quicker and you will stage at 170 or 180 instead of 230 and that costs HP. While driving your temp can't get below 190 or stat will close so you have always got to cool from 190 where as you would have to cool from 160 after driving with the 160. If you control your fans by switch or any other means temp will raise more slowly under racing conditions.
BobA :yesnod: :party:

extremecorvette

Everyone’s got there opinion and I would like to know hard facts that have been dyno tested or drag strip tested. I’ve been told both ways more than once. That that car makes more power at hi temps and others say more power at lower temps. What way is it? Some one has had to have dyno or strip tested this out. Help??? :banghead:

gojo

Bob, maybe it's the heat in NC, but my car never cools that much between rounds. In fact most times heat builds and starting it cools it. Also with a 180 stat it never goes higher than 195. A good racing temp in my opinion. Set the fans right and you don't need a 160, which effects too many functions on the street.

extremecorvette

Thank you that’s what I’m looking for what experiences people have had with this, did you see any difference in you ET on the strip with the change or did you do this before you took it there?

Oldvetter

I want to give the other side of this, lowering thermostat temperatures can harm your engine. The LS1 is an all aluminum engine, it was designed with tolorances to run hot. Some people have dyno results which show more power when hot. Additionally, you need to run oil hot to burn off impurities like water and gasoline, that's why short trips are so bad on oil, low temperatures.

I'm not sure at which temperature the LS1 goes into closed loop, but if you're lower it may run rich thinking you are not warmed up and this will dilute oil with more gasoline.


[Modified by Oldvetter, 6:07 PM 3/26/2003]

gojo

I don't have track experience with this car regarding temps. I think there are too many variables to be able to get true results consistantly. Probably need a lab. I'm more concerned about excessive temps causing pinging and resulting in lowered performance. As I mentioned above there are various functions that are changed by the PCM based on temps. I think that's what causes the changes in performance some experience.
My opinion is to keep your car at reasonable temperatures.

shafman1

The only thing I did was lower my fan off/on temps by 10 degrees using the predator. It's been too cool here for me to notice a difference, but once it warms up, I'll check and see. :thumbs:

vetterdstr

SO the 3 hour conversation that you had with Vararam didnt tell you about the 160 deg thermo testing? :nonod: Wow, I thought you knew about that already... ;)

vetterdstr :cheers:

vetterdstr

On the very high performance engines, you want to keep the car in the lower temp ranges. This will keep the engine cool enough so minimal changes are made by the computer while driving. This makes for a more uniform setting of which to tune the car with.

vetterdstr :cheers: