im lookin for a thermostat and dont which to get and how low to go, i looked at the slp 160* and a hypertech 160*, also what should i do about my cats gut em or get some cutouts, and if i get the 160* stat would i have to get a programmer or tuner right away?

 

I would recommend staying around the 180 marker unless you do a lot of highway driving. Both are good but they are actually 170 degree to let the engine stay in closed loop.
You don't have to get a tuner with a 160 but once you get a tune, the thermostat helps.
To gut your cats, you will need 02 sims to take the rear 02 sensors out of the equation or get a tune and have them cut the rear 02 sensors off so that it doesn't set a code. You cats flow well enough that it wouldn't start effecting your engine until you hit about 375hp.

 

Funny thing about the thermostat, it only closes IF the engine gets lower than the therm temp. I had the stock 185* and the truck never went below 201* EVER. The fans were set for something like 200* first turn on and then the high setting was somewhere around 215*. In traffic the truck would bounce from 205* to 235* and back again. I installed the 160* therm and had the first fan set to turn on at 185* and the high on at 195*. Now the truck never gets below 185* even on a cold day on the highway. Most trucks will not get below 185*. The 160* just gives you a chance to keep the temp closer to 185*. If the fans were set to turn on as soon as the therm opens you are wasting PCM time, elect to the fans and the therm will bounce open, closed, open, close, open, close, open, close.... What temp do you really want to run, 200* or 185*?????

Just my Just a thought........

 

Get a 160* thats what I have in my truck and never had a problem with it. The tuner can also get more aggresive with the tune since the engine is a bit colder. Dont waste your money on a programmer get a custom tune such as Nelson Performance he did my truck and couldnt be happier. Gut the cats if you dont have to worry abotu emissions it made a BIG difference up top in my truck. Some say you lose a bit down low but if your truck is tuned correctly you wont lose any I didnt.