thermostat; stock or cooler
05-03-2017, 09:43 AM
#1
thermostat; stock or cooler
Is there any real benefit to running a cooler thermostat on these ls engine? I've been googling my butt off this morning trying to find a definite answer but no luck. My G8 has a cooler thermostat and i was thinking about putting a stock one back in. I don't know, I've read a lot of opinions about it and some people are damn sure that it helps but very few facts.
05-03-2017, 11:33 AM
#3
Theoretically it doesn't make sense to me how running the engine cooler could increase performance UNLESS one assumes that a cooler engine = a cooler intake air charge.
The closer you can get material around the combustion chamber to the actual combustion temperature the less heat from combustion you will lose to those materials = more efficient combustion. So, to me, the theory of a cooler thermostat adding performance only holds true if the engine bay is getting heat soaked thereby increasing IAT's and causing spark knock or the computer to pull timing.
I suppose that doesn't help you much in making your decision so as easy as they are to change, try one then try the other and see what works best for you.
The closer you can get material around the combustion chamber to the actual combustion temperature the less heat from combustion you will lose to those materials = more efficient combustion. So, to me, the theory of a cooler thermostat adding performance only holds true if the engine bay is getting heat soaked thereby increasing IAT's and causing spark knock or the computer to pull timing.
I suppose that doesn't help you much in making your decision so as easy as they are to change, try one then try the other and see what works best for you.
05-03-2017, 12:05 PM
#4
Theoretically it doesn't make sense to me how running the engine cooler could increase performance UNLESS one assumes that a cooler engine = a cooler intake air charge.
The closer you can get material around the combustion chamber to the actual combustion temperature the less heat from combustion you will lose to those materials = more efficient combustion. So, to me, the theory of a cooler thermostat adding performance only holds true if the engine bay is getting heat soaked thereby increasing IAT's and causing spark knock or the computer to pull timing.
I suppose that doesn't help you much in making your decision so as easy as they are to change, try one then try the other and see what works best for you.
The closer you can get material around the combustion chamber to the actual combustion temperature the less heat from combustion you will lose to those materials = more efficient combustion. So, to me, the theory of a cooler thermostat adding performance only holds true if the engine bay is getting heat soaked thereby increasing IAT's and causing spark knock or the computer to pull timing.
I suppose that doesn't help you much in making your decision so as easy as they are to change, try one then try the other and see what works best for you.
In the winter though a 160 kinda kills your heat.
05-03-2017, 01:52 PM
#7
I'm not sure it has, once my hp tuners gets here I'll be able to pull the tune and look. I got the car with all the mods done to it, the modifier said the tune was spot on when he sold the car. Its been thru two owners since then. I wanted a stock car but my wife just had to have this one. Its got a TSP cam (225/230 .610 lift on 113 LSA) and headers, no cats and a yank 3200.
Edit: When I say I will "take a look" I mean Atomic will probably look at it for me.
Edit: When I say I will "take a look" I mean Atomic will probably look at it for me.
Last edited by firebladeJJ; 05-03-2017 at 02:04 PM.
