170/180 thermostats are available at NAPA

[Jason84NA2T]

I recall someone was having a hard time finding a 170 degree thermostat for their car, but I don't remember who it was. I was buying a stock one for my Z along with some parts for my girlfriend's car this week and asked if they had any other temperatures besides the stock 180 degrees F. Indeed, they do list and carry a 170 degree version... so in case anybody was wondering NAPA does carry it.

[G-E]

think stinky was after 160....

[BLOZ UP]

ugh, any colder than 170 is pushing it, imo.

[Jason84NA2T]

BLOZ UP wrote: ugh, any colder than 170 is pushing it, imo.

Agreed.

[Domdogg123]

Was it Slicktop?

[Russ84na]

I stuck a NISMO one in my race Z. It is colder than OEM (160 or 140?) In any case it works great.

[84z31]

im running a 190* thermostat. i put tht enew one in last winter. it was below 0* for 3 weeks. i don't like to be cold.

i bet if i switched out in the summer for a 160* one my car would run a little better.

[Jason84NA2T]

Russ84na wrote: I stuck a NISMO one in my race Z. It is colder than OEM (160 or 140?) In any case it works great.

Just out of curiousity, did you feel any difference?



The ECU will enrich the mixture if the engine stays cooler like that ( I think NisMo is 160 ) and it will hurt fuel economy and (at least in theory) engine life very slightly. I've always used stock temperature for best econ and ease of tuning... I've always thought the enrichment from running cooler would simply throw off my logged AFR's in relevance to the map. Even though looking on the temp enrichment variables, it's a very small difference. Anybody care to add?

Either way, the 5hp mods are the ones I tend to skip right over. On a side note... I seriously can't believe it when people list things like synthetic oil or fuzzy mirror-mounted dice in their modification list.

[G-E]

well you can "prove" one oil is superior to another by dyno testing, but that doesn't mean it's true, you need to know everything down to the temperature before the "proof" means anything

agreed on the mod list sillys

[crowbar]

I believe the 200sxse VG30e might have a 160 thermostat.

[Steve88t]

Jason84NA2T wrote:
Either way, the 5hp mods are the ones I tend to skip right over. On a side note... I seriously can't believe it when people list things like synthetic oil or fuzzy mirror-mounted dice in their modification list.

That is why I don't have a mod list. I think it is ghey to compare parts lists.

I don't think a cooler engine temp than 160-170 is going to gain you much of anything. If it did, then you'd see more race cars with elaborage temp controls to get it down there. I'm certainly not an expert, but I have not seen anything indicating as such.

And everyone but vatozone carries them around here. I had to special order a 180 a few years ago for the winter.

[84z31]

does running your engine at a colder temp help the buld up of carbon?

that is what i have always heard.

[G-E]

the t-stat doesn't in any way raise your cooling system's thermal capacity, what it can do is help delay the rise in extreme temperature buildup, and if the heating is sporadic rather than constant, it could seem like it is cooling the engine more effectively

but in the case of jason's little story, 20min at wot and such, 160 wouldn't make a difference over the 180 even

a bigger/better radiator is still the only true way to cool more effectively at constant load

it is possible colder head surfaces will resist carbonizing a bit in the beginning but once it's all gunked up that stuff acts as an insulator so it won't help in the long term

[BLOZ UP]

And brass and copper OEM radiators are better than aluminum aftermarket ones as far as heat dissapation goes, all else being the same.

[Jason84NA2T]

BLOZ UP wrote: And brass and copper OEM radiators are better than aluminum aftermarket ones as far as heat dissapation goes, all else being the same.

It's funny... if you mean thermal transfer copper and brass are better at transferring heat within themselves and to fluids, while aluminum is better at transferring heat between itself and air. Each offers advantages, but people usually like aluminum for aftermarket units because it's lighter/cheaper.

I agree though, the OE cooling system is more than adequate; even on my car with an IC blocking 80% of the flow through the radiator.