After reading all the tech articles and post on this site about lowering the temp on my vehicle, i have managed to get the temp to go no higher than 180* [and that is after some hard drivin too]. Is that low enough or should i shoot for about 160-170*? Would there be any benifit to getting my cars temp down to that level? Thanks to thirdgen.org for showing me how to lower my temp. [89rs,305,tbi,4 auto]

 

no, having it at 160 is no better than 180. ive read in a few different tech articles that having it any lower than 160 is just as bad as overheating, they(whoever they were that wrote the article i read, some magazine, cant remember which) said its fine to have it upwards of 180, even up to 200. u decide.

 

Everyone wants their car to run at a lower temp. In fact, I have mine running with the fan kicking in at 197 and a 170 stat. You don't want it running super cold, like 160. If you have the car running too cold the computer will never go into closed loop operation. (I want to say that its around 168*) also, if you are running too cold, you may not pass emissions where you are... I know that in MA. if the engine is too cold, it'll read too high on something (NOX?)

I love driving it a lot cooler than whatever chevy had though...

-=-Mike

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1989 RS.. Newly installed 350,bored out 30 over, Hypereutectic pistons, double roller cam, double roller timing chain, accel wires, blue streak cap and rotor, platinum plugs, chevy caprice 350 chip.

 

First, a 160*F Tstat will not prevent your car in going into closed loop. That is a complete myth. On my TPI car, I have verifyied that the car goes into closed loop (after the time and O2 constraint) around 110-115*F. WAY before 160*F.

Second myth, a 160*F is too cold to pass emissions. I have gone through MANY times in BC, where our emission levels are even lower than California.

Third myth, a 160*F T-stat is hard on your motor. I have over 258,000 kms (over 160,000 miles) and my engine is as powerful (if not more) than the day I bought it brand new in 1991. I burn virtually NO OIL between oil changes.

I should add, that I have NEVER blown any radiator hoses or replaced the waterpump. My hoses are in fine shape, though I am debating about replacing them all just for to avoid any potential future break downs while on the highway.

About the only myth I have seen that is true is about the car not getting really warm in Winter driving. That really depends how hot you want your interior to be. I just drove up towards Banff this weekend while the temperature was -10C (about 15F) and I found it quite toasty. But that is really a personal preference.

PS: I have had a 160*F T-stat for over 6 years and the coldest temperature I have experienced is -20*C (just below 0F). Yes, the 160*F T-stat felt a bit cool, but I couldn't see my breath and it didn't bother me about that temperature. But I wouldn't have wanted to go any colder with the 160*F T-stat.

 

My car gets up to about 220 and then will cool down again to about 190, this is in morning commute...is 220 too high as far as regular driving? I know its not optimal for horsepower, but is it bad for the engine to get up to 220?