My cars been running hot so I've decided to buy a new thermostat, I had to choose between a 160 thermo and a 195 one. I went with the 160 one. Is that to low for my engine?

 

180

 

That doesn't help me with my question.

 

160 may be a bit low,I wouldve gone with a 180.Besides,160 thermo in a long island summer would be ok probably,but in the winter I'd go back to stock.

 

I was thinking that having a 160 for the winter would help get the heat going sooner.

 

it will take longer to heat up in the winter
besides if you dont change the cooling fan switch
it's not really going to help much
all it will do it open sooner, and the fans kick on at 220???

i like the balanced sleeved thermostats better, better flow and opens with the flow of water
summit has them under mrgasket

 

Your car is like mine. Carb, computer, mechanical fan.
I thought that this thing runs in open-loop until it reaches 192 degrees. Open-loop wastes gas, and will not solve your problem; the engine will still run hot.
Find the problem, and fix it. You do know that more than 50% antifreeze does not absorb enough heat. Have you flushed? Does the engine fan spin fast enough? The fan clutch can wear out.
Don't look for a shortcut.

Seth

 

When I bought the car the guy said he ripped the computer out so I think the fan runs all the time. I didn't even know I could adjust the fan, can someone explain how to do that?

 

I still say that your car is like mine. No electric fan.
Also, w/o the computer, you must know someone who uses alternate methods to get your inspection sticker.

Seth

 

I definetly don't have an electric fan its clutch driven.

 

i'm running a 180 (i think) thermo in my car, with a mechanical clutch fan, and my car chills at 190, even on a hot day. It'll warm up some in stopped traffic, but seeing 220 is a rarity.

Muirner

 

With a Canada-made replacement copper 3-row radiator, 40/60 mix, water wetter, one auxillary pancake fan hooked to the A.C. circuit, my car does 220 degrees in stop and go with the A.C. on.
Running it in a parking lot with the A.C. is out of the question, though,, as the heat has no place to escape. Could do that with my 1977 New Yorker 440, though. Chrysler used to be the best.

While I would prefer 160 or 180 degrees for the sake of the transmission, this ain't bad.

P.S. : for the sake of the low-volume R-4 compressor, I have the dashpot up to 1000 RPM, from the normal 650 RPM.

Seth

 

160 thermostat definatly makes your car "seem" to run faster, but its not worth it. its more wear on your cylinder walls. i would run manufactor specs. this might be useful to all of you running a 160 thermostat....a test was done on a basic 350 and 305 with different operating temperatures. at 155 degrees, in 60 hours of running, your cylinder walls will weat approximatly 15 thousands of an inch, at 175 degrees, 7 thousands, and at 210, which is along recommendations for most engines, you will have only about .08 thousanths of wear. these are all tested at 60 hours of operation. if you want performance, go with 160. if wear is an issue, stick with manufacture specs. i use to run a 160, but now, i won't go below 200.

 

Is the difference in wear because a warmer engine provides less un-burned fuel to dilute the film of oil on the cylinder walls?
Or is it because hotter rings are softer, and scrape more gently against the cylinder walls?
Usually I ask questions, already knowing at least part of the answer; but here, I haven't a clue.

Seth

 

I went to auto barn and found a 180 thermostat, I think I'm going to go with that since it's what everyone suggests

 

I am sick of this discussion. I like when people actually do the change and see how everything works before going on here and saying that these test were done. Or, say something without actually seeing it work and seeing what it does. I talked to few techs and they all told me that 195 thermo does make better emissions at an expense of performance and wear. Lets not forget that a hotter engine wears down components too, if not faster than a cooler one. 180 is what small blocks should run at. Its their optimal temperature for performance and fuel.
Here is what I did and what results I had.

Took out 195 thermo, put in 180. Ran a bit cooler, but still way over 180. More like 200.
NOTE -- This was on a brand new cooling system, everysingle thing was NEW. And yes I had a new air dam as well.

Crap, belive it or not I just wrote a whole paragraph about chip tuning and than i realized that you have a carb
. Anyway if you have a carb 160 would be fine. I wonder how many people noticed that you do have a carb???
Check and see if you have a carquest around in your area. They might be able to get you a 170 thermo from GM that will fit. I dont know the part number but if you go to www.tbichips.com ask Brian (the man who runs it) what the 170 thermo part number is and he'll tell ya. Than pop that in and you are ready to go.
Good luck and 195 is way to high. I passe Colorado emissions with 160 . Stupid Idiots those tester dudes.

 

I have a carbed lg4 in my '86 and run 160 with no problems. I don't use car much in winter so I don't know about heating up but in summer no problem.

 

hey hellraiser, your sadly mistaken if you believe a colder engine doesn't wear as fast. why do you think your supposed to let your car warm up before driving? yes, as an engine gets hotter than 210 your wear will increase, but you will also increase wear as you get colder. the happy median is between 185 and 210.

 

i have a 160 t-stat, hypertech cooling fan switch and a slp chip which kicks the fans at 200 degs and I have no problems whats so ever. It hasn't gone over 220 even in 103 degree weather and traffic

 

But does it go into closed-loop, and how many gallons per mile does it get?

Seth

 

it does go in a close loop. i don't know the mpg but i do get around 260 miles mostly street use. I dunno if thas good or not. I also passed smog with the 160 t-stat and a lower cooling fan switch

 

Hi,

Just compromize and get a 170 degree stat from GM.

Heater works great, just set the rest of the cooling system

up rite -fan switch-ect ect.

later

jaykar

 

220 is too hot for these engines... sure at low temp they will wear as much as a hot engine, but a cooler engine or atleast on that is cool enough to suit the specific engine will be alot better than a hotter one. 160 thermo in texas will keep me about where the engine should be, as long as i dont over chill it and cause undo strain on the internal parts....like they say to refrain from high rpms on warm up. The only reason a cool engine is bad is exactly that, strain on the internals. Otherwise i see no reason that an engine in reality with a 160 thermo will be a bad thing. In my experience the stock thermo gets way too hot in texas, with bad local traffic, my driving habbits and constant 100+ degree weather.

 

See this is what I experienced ...

Installed a 160 thermostat.. drilled a few tiny tiny holes in it to eliminate trapped air and hot pockets .. ran it ... still had to use the fan 75 percent of the time . .even on the freeway

Installed the airdam ... and now the car gets too cool while driving on the freeway ... while off the freeway... it still gets warm rather quick