chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
ok i searched and read... i am going to be running a 180 tstat, when do i want the electric fans shuttin on and off?
CK5
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cooling fan thermostat switch q?
- Thread starter chevyuser74
- Start date
190* or 195* would be fine.
tipoil
1/2 ton status
yep what he said!!!
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
now if u got 190 would the fan constantly be running? (assuming the cooling system is efficient)
No, if the cooling system works right, as soon as you are moving the temp wil drop. Really no reason to run anything other than a 195* thermostat anyways, but that's another topic. You WILL cycle the fan more often at 180* vs. 195*, but it's personal choice. It's likely easier to find a temp switch that works around 210* or so, than it is 195*. You might check for the '87-ish Grand Nationals, I believe their fan temp switch was rated at that.
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
i knew this would come up, but the reason for the 180 tstat is because im rebuilding my engine, to make some more power, and also im getting a custom chip burned for the engine, and brian at tbichips told me i would either have to run premium or the 180 tstat, and i really dont feel like paying the extra .20 to .30 a gallon.
I'm surprised Brian can't work around that. Obviously the temp reduction or octane change is to keep the engine from detonating, but I can't believe there is enough power to be made by advancing timing that the tradeoff is worth it.But he's been doing it longer than I have, so I won't second guess him. You are going to need a powerful fan if this is a wheeled vehicle, 180* is going to be very hard to maintain with any sort of ambient temp and crawling.Getting a bit off topic, sorry about that.
cabledawg
Secret Squirrel
Sorry for the hijack here
dyeager535 (or do you go by Dorian?): I took your advise and changed my t-stat from a 160 to a 190 and it made a HUGE difference. First of all the heater actually works in the winter and the engine runs a whole lot better. I thought with warmer weather I'd have issues keeping the engine cool, but it never goes over 210 before the fan kicks in and I can watch the temp drop immediately. The engine has a lot more pep at operating temp too.
For anyone reading this, the 190-195 t-stat really does make a difference with the TBI engines. I wish I had run my truck on a dyno before and after, cuz I seriously think its got a few more horses to the ground.
Hijack over. Thanks.
dyeager535 (or do you go by Dorian?): I took your advise and changed my t-stat from a 160 to a 190 and it made a HUGE difference. First of all the heater actually works in the winter and the engine runs a whole lot better. I thought with warmer weather I'd have issues keeping the engine cool, but it never goes over 210 before the fan kicks in and I can watch the temp drop immediately. The engine has a lot more pep at operating temp too.
For anyone reading this, the 190-195 t-stat really does make a difference with the TBI engines. I wish I had run my truck on a dyno before and after, cuz I seriously think its got a few more horses to the ground.
Hijack over. Thanks.
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
I'm surprised Brian can't work around that. Obviously the temp reduction or octane change is to keep the engine from detonating, but I can't believe there is enough power to be made by advancing timing that the tradeoff is worth it.But he's been doing it longer than I have, so I won't second guess him. You are going to need a powerful fan if this is a wheeled vehicle, 180* is going to be very hard to maintain with any sort of ambient temp and crawling.Getting a bit off topic, sorry about that.
will my windstar fans hold up, or should i put my flex fan back on, i really like having the electric fans its nice for water crossings.
Sorry for the hijack here
dyeager535 (or do you go by Dorian?): I took your advise and changed my t-stat from a 160 to a 190 and it made a HUGE difference. First of all the heater actually works in the winter and the engine runs a whole lot better. I thought with warmer weather I'd have issues keeping the engine cool, but it never goes over 210 before the fan kicks in and I can watch the temp drop immediately. The engine has a lot more pep at operating temp too.
For anyone reading this, the 190-195 t-stat really does make a difference with the TBI engines. I wish I had run my truck on a dyno before and after, cuz I seriously think its got a few more horses to the ground.
Hijack over. Thanks.
The reason you seen a big difference is because the CTS (Coolant Temp Sensor) reads engine temp and relays that info back to the ECM and running a 160 t-stat doesn't allow the CTS to get hot enough for the engine to go closed loop.
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
Sorry for the hijack here
dyeager535 (or do you go by Dorian?): I took your advise and changed my t-stat from a 160 to a 190 and it made a HUGE difference. First of all the heater actually works in the winter and the engine runs a whole lot better. I thought with warmer weather I'd have issues keeping the engine cool, but it never goes over 210 before the fan kicks in and I can watch the temp drop immediately. The engine has a lot more pep at operating temp too.
For anyone reading this, the 190-195 t-stat really does make a difference with the TBI engines. I wish I had run my truck on a dyno before and after, cuz I seriously think its got a few more horses to the ground.
Hijack over. Thanks.
please guys dont turn this into a thermostat conversation, i would much rather have a 195 in the truck but a 180 is what i was told i should run and the guy who is customizing my chip told me to run this cus im changing the injectors/throttle body/intake/heads/cam/lifters/rockers...
Brian burned me a chip as well and i made all the same changes you are planning on and i'm still running a 195* t-stat with no issues.
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
well now i dont know what to do.
Here is what i'm currently running. I built a HOT 350 that is .030" overbore (9.489:1 CR), Comp Cams 252XFI roller cam, AFR 180 heads, stock intake that i bored the throttle bores to 2.00", 454 TBI unit with factory 95/hr injectors (cleaned and flow tested with paperwork), running 18psi fuel pressure (aftermarket high pressure fuel pump and 18psi regulator spring) and still running 195* t-stat and running on 87 octane pump gas.
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
let me ask u this if my engine didnt like the 195 tstat after i build what would it do?
Depending on what Brian does in the chip burn for your application the engine could ping, then just go to the 180 t-stat and see if that cures the problem. To be honest i would just tell him you want to run the factory 195* t-stat and do whatever it takes to make it run using that t-stat.
It would also be a help to Brian if he knew what lb/hr injector yours are. They are color coded but that still doesn't mean much as i had mine sent out for cleaning and flow testing and they flowed alot more than they were supposed to be rated for. Check out www.witchhunter.com
It would also be a help to Brian if he knew what lb/hr injector yours are. They are color coded but that still doesn't mean much as i had mine sent out for cleaning and flow testing and they flowed alot more than they were supposed to be rated for. Check out www.witchhunter.com
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
he knows my injectors, cus i bought them from him, so im good there.
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
i guess i will buy an adjustable fan controller then
Believe me, not trying to talk you into one thing or another, but the worst thing you could do is have a motor that you can't keep the temp under control when you wheel. It's one thing to overheat, it's another when you are overheating AND pinging.
I say let Brian work with you. I dunno why you and Scott ended up with different "specs" from Brian, but I'd want to find out.
Windstar fans from all accounts are the real deal, so I wouldn't worry about them too much. I'm sure they will last a good long time. In your case, I would suspect the tradeoff during wheeling (assuming that's one of the trucks uses?) would be to gain power from a timing increase, and simultaneously lose that gain by running some monster fans to keep it in a temp range that it doesn't ping at, and thereby lose more power!
Electric fans exert a HEAVY load on the engine. With EFI you may not see it so much, but it's there.
I say let Brian work with you. I dunno why you and Scott ended up with different "specs" from Brian, but I'd want to find out.
Windstar fans from all accounts are the real deal, so I wouldn't worry about them too much. I'm sure they will last a good long time. In your case, I would suspect the tradeoff during wheeling (assuming that's one of the trucks uses?) would be to gain power from a timing increase, and simultaneously lose that gain by running some monster fans to keep it in a temp range that it doesn't ping at, and thereby lose more power!
Electric fans exert a HEAVY load on the engine. With EFI you may not see it so much, but it's there.
chevyuser74
1/2 ton status
i actually would perfer to run my flex fan, but water crossing are an issue with that.
