Okay so i know people seem to have a misconception on the degree thermostats and their differences. So i wanted to post this to show what a thermostat will actually run at. So a few months ago i wanted to go to a lower temp thermostat, came on here did some research and people were happy with their *180 thermo, some people said their *160 was just too low, these trucks are made to run hot and what not. Well i went out to Autozone and asked for a *180 thermostat, got the box, opened it up, and on the actual thermostat it said 86C and the box says 86C 186F, so basically it's a *186, no big deal. Put it in the truck and the damn thing runs stock temp, like *200-*210. I read the thermo that i took out (STOCKER) and it said on it 86C. So basically it was the same damn thing. I'm kinda pissed off, drained my coolant, went through the trouble, not too much but still. So i just recently wanted to get the truck to run around *180 or so. By my own philosophy if i buy a *160 stat it should "in theory" run around *175-*180.

So what do you know, just finished up the *160 stat install, readjusted my fan temps, and it likes to run at *181 on the street, idle it goes up to *187, i have my fans kick on at *185 to start the cooling, and then it climbs back down to *181-*183. So i hope this helps some people in deciding what thermostat they want to run and what EXACT Temp they want their truck to actually run at.

 

I hope this helps because on the last THERMOSTAT Thread guys had their little debates on ****, so since i've experienced it first hand hope it helps people out. Now again this is a 5.3 truck, idk if a LS based car runs any cooler or not. This is just how it works on my truck, and i would assume it functions somewhat close to this on other trucks.

 

Where did you get the 160 Tstat from? For our 04's we can replace just the Tstat and not the whole housing correct?

 

I got it from JEGS for like $38 shipped i think, something really close to it. And yes, it's just the thermostat, and it has the seal already on it, so you are good to go, simplest install ever.

 

the cluster is inaccurate that's why the 160 stat was showing in the 180's.

 

Is that temperature (160 or 186) the temperature it starts to open or is completely open? I've got a 160 I might experiment with.

 

That's why I didn't put all my faith in the Autometer gauge I have. I have the laptop in the truck EVERY time I drive. Logging with HPT, I've seen the following:

Stock T-stat would have my truck running from 210 - 220 degF in Louisiana heat and humidity when driving around town. On the highway, it'll sit at 205 degF.

With the 160 degF t-stat that I installed last weekend, I drove the truck to/from work 97 degF temps on Monday & Tuesday. On the highway, I'd see 190 - 194 degF. In town, temps would get up to 215 at idle, and 200 - 205 degF cruising.

Now... for my truck, the higher temps are in part due to no intake air box, doubt of a totally clean radiator, slightly higher than stock compression ratio, and make-shift e-fans (waiting for dinero to get a good quality e-fan setup).

 

My 160 reads in the 190's when idling and as low as 179* when cruising on the highway. Never seen lower than that, even when scanning in EFILive.

 

so what should i do on my 05 5.3 lol...

 

I logged with HPT yesterday and my gauges are perfectly accurate according to HPT. Basically a *160 stat starts to open at *160, which obviously means that the vehicle will run a little hotter than the stat. On the freeway i am running around *179 and at idle it will get up to *190 and then go back down when my fans are running. I have my turn on temp at *185