160 Degree Thermostat?
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 9
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From: edmond, OK USA
160 Degree Thermostat?
I recently purchased a K&N FIPK, a Hypertech Power Module, and a 160 degree thermostat. I have a '95 with a 300 straight six. Is this new setup a good idea? Will it cause excessive wear on my motor? How much of an increase of horsepower can i expect?
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 3
From: Houston, by way of every major city in America.
I had a really bad experience with a Hypertech chip, it caused the engine to
ping(detonate)badly. I'm afraid to try another brand ,now. Let me know how
yours does. The power was great but I
was worried about the det. problem. The
K/N is fabulous but now other threads are
saying hot air is bad for the engine. Oh well,you just can't win. It just depends on
what works for you and mainly,the truck.
Have fun with the mods,98
ping(detonate)badly. I'm afraid to try another brand ,now. Let me know how
yours does. The power was great but I
was worried about the det. problem. The
K/N is fabulous but now other threads are
saying hot air is bad for the engine. Oh well,you just can't win. It just depends on
what works for you and mainly,the truck.
Have fun with the mods,98
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 632
Likes: 0
From: DOT BOMB CITY!
Yo asked "Will it cause excessive wear on my motor?"....
Survey says.... ABSOLUTELY!!!
Your engine needs to run at a certain temperature! If you run it for long periods of time at a lower temp you are very much increasing the wear on the engine!
Why do they sell many different thermostats?
Survey says.... Because the engineers who design engines find the optimal running temperature for each engine.
Your engine was designed to run at a certain temp based on MANY factors. Too high or too low causes damage.
160 is pretty low for todays high tech engines. Or any other engine!
The 160 thermo worked GREAT in my LT1 engine because the LT1 has reverse cooling! It cools the heads first, thus, producing more HP by allowing the air entering the combustion chamber to stay cooler/denser before entering. It also caused premature aging of the engine!
If your going to race it like that once in a while, it might not hurt! But I wouldn't run it for 50K like that!
Good luck!
Maybe someone can add something more substantial to this or feels like explaining why a 160 causes more engine wear?
BTW: Its an internal combustion ENGINE NOT a motor. A motor uses wires and magnets with current running through the wires to produce TQ and HP.
[This message has been edited by Rand (edited 08-18-2000).]
Survey says.... ABSOLUTELY!!!
Your engine needs to run at a certain temperature! If you run it for long periods of time at a lower temp you are very much increasing the wear on the engine!
Why do they sell many different thermostats?
Survey says.... Because the engineers who design engines find the optimal running temperature for each engine.
Your engine was designed to run at a certain temp based on MANY factors. Too high or too low causes damage.
160 is pretty low for todays high tech engines. Or any other engine!
The 160 thermo worked GREAT in my LT1 engine because the LT1 has reverse cooling! It cools the heads first, thus, producing more HP by allowing the air entering the combustion chamber to stay cooler/denser before entering. It also caused premature aging of the engine!
If your going to race it like that once in a while, it might not hurt! But I wouldn't run it for 50K like that!
Good luck!
Maybe someone can add something more substantial to this or feels like explaining why a 160 causes more engine wear?
BTW: Its an internal combustion ENGINE NOT a motor. A motor uses wires and magnets with current running through the wires to produce TQ and HP.
[This message has been edited by Rand (edited 08-18-2000).]
Junior Member
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
I have a 97 f150 5.4l and i run the hyper tech chip in mine.... not a single prob.. now my brother has a 98 f150 with the 4.6L
and he had bad detnation.... but the dealer... told him to run higher octane fuel.. because the chip adv. the timeing .. and sence then he has gained in performance.. and no more detnation!!
and he had bad detnation.... but the dealer... told him to run higher octane fuel.. because the chip adv. the timeing .. and sence then he has gained in performance.. and no more detnation!!
Senior Member
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach, VA
Personally I think the cooler thermostats some chip and programmer people push is nothing more than an excuse for them to be less than accurate with their modifications. Heat is horsepower, and most modern day engines seem to be most efficient in the 190-200 range. Higher in some cases. If a 160 degree thermostat was good, why wouldn't they recommend them to those without a chip or programmer?
Detonation occurs more frequently at higher temps. By lowering the temp, it can compensate somewhat for the programming that caused the detonation. If the programming was right and the proper fuel was being used, the detonation should have never occured.
Also in regards to the "hot air" comment by 98Screamer. Keep in mind that throughout the musclecar era that the majority of these cars pulled air right from the engine compartment. I think it would be more in line to say cool air is better. Once the vehicle is moving more than a few miles per hour, the flow of air through the engine compartment is providing fresh air flow. I agree that cool is better, but I think the people concerned about the hot air problem are blowing things a little out of proportion.
Detonation occurs more frequently at higher temps. By lowering the temp, it can compensate somewhat for the programming that caused the detonation. If the programming was right and the proper fuel was being used, the detonation should have never occured.
Also in regards to the "hot air" comment by 98Screamer. Keep in mind that throughout the musclecar era that the majority of these cars pulled air right from the engine compartment. I think it would be more in line to say cool air is better. Once the vehicle is moving more than a few miles per hour, the flow of air through the engine compartment is providing fresh air flow. I agree that cool is better, but I think the people concerned about the hot air problem are blowing things a little out of proportion.