anyone here using a 160 stat..... and if so then hows your heat in the winter time is it really worth it to change it fron a 180 stat?

 

ehhh ure better off just keeping the 180 stat, and buy a lower fan switch this is what keeps the car running cool , check www.thunderracing.com they got the jet fan switch in there for 40 bucks

 

i've used a 160 stat for the last year or two. not too fun in the winter, but not completely unbareable. i thought i heard somewhere about a 170 stat, but dont remeber where. best bet would be to either do a 160 in the summer/180 in winter, or just stick with the 180 year round

 

My car has ran a 160 stat for 7 or 8 years. Winters are mild where I live so it isn't much of an issue. I think the engine has more carbon build up as a result of the colder stat. Car pings badly on 87 octane gas but runs very well on 93. I think the colder stat helps keep the transmission cooler as well. My 700R4 has 238,4xx miles on it no problems. I think the lower temps have helped the tranny live longer.

As for power, I don't think the lower temp stat on a near stock LO3 will be worth much if anything. My car dyno 133rwhp & 220rwtq w/160 stat, Bosch +4 plugs, Dynomax catback, straight wired fan and Mobile 1 5w-30. Car was in a good stat of tune etc and had 200,000+ miles on it at the time. A friend with a LO3 and a 5 speed dyno 150rwhp. I think my cars numbers were pretty good all in all but show the stat isn't worth much if anything on a near stock LO3.

 

I was readin somewhere that 170 stats are better for FI engines and 160 is better for carbs...dunno how true that is though...

 

I tried the 160... froze my *** off no heat whatsoever from that thing... popped in a 180, a good improvement, not the super insta heat like before, but more than enough to keep me warm in a blizzard. I thought about the 170, but 180 is barely good enough for heat, so I stuck with the 180.

The 170 thermostat is something the gm parts department have tucked away under special listings. If you have the part number, you can order it with no hassle. Either that or the gm parts guys near you are really knowledgable where you are.