180 degree t stat

[300I6Ranger4x4]

why do they even make 180 degree t stats if you should only run a 195 for the optimal running temp?

Like.. in what scenario would you want a 180?

asking because i just put one in my ohv because my truck requires the dual core auto tranny a/c rad but i could only afford a single core from the pick a part yard and though the 180 would help keep things cool because of the smaller single core rad..

the temp gauge sits at about...

 

[RonD]

The reasoning behind that decision is flawed.

A thermostat is open all the way at it's rated temp
180degF t-stat is fully opened at 180degF
195degF t-stat is fully opened at 195degF

If your rad was too small to cool the engine on a hot day then engine would overheat, period.
It wouldn't matter if it started to overheat 15deg soon or later, it would overheat.

In other words a working t-stat has nothing to do with overheating, or cooling, it just sets minimum operating temperature.

The switch from 180degF to 190+degF t-stats came from Ford and S.A.E.(the oil guys) research.
It was found that running the engine at 200degF had no long term ill effect on engine life, and in fact helped burn off oil contaminants better and gave better engine efficiency, i.e. better MPG and lower emissions.

S.A.E.'s original studies set 160degF as a good coolant temp as the oil in the engine would start to burn off water and fuel residues when coolant was kept above 150degF.
More studies got the 180degF temp as better for engine life.
As engine and bearing material got better the 200degF came around.

Running a 160degF t-stat will give you more horsepower, EFI computers use engine temp and air temp when calculating air/fuel mix, cooler air is denser so requires more fuel, this is why engines can feel "peppier" in the winter, colder air, and why MPG goes down in the winter.
So colder coolant = cold intake = colder air in the intake.
That was a trick used and still used by Cold Air Intake sellers, they always recommend a 160 t-stat, lol, because all EFI engines already have CAI so if you add another one there would be no improvement, but changing to a lower temp t-stat...........that will work.

 

[300I6Ranger4x4]

oh, well i don't care about mpg because it runs well. I'd rather have more pep in its step if you will lol.. So basically it'll "wake it up" a touch?

once landscaping starts up again in two weeks I'll be able to afford the proper dual core it originally had in it.

thx cheers

 

[JohnnyO]

It'll "wake it up a touch" if the engine actually ends up running cooler. More so if you have a chip or tuner but that's only because it's running richer. That said, if your engine is predisposed to run at say 200*, it's going to run at 200* whether it has a 160*, 180*, or 195* t-stat in it. Probably the only time it's going to actually run cooler is when you're going down the highway at 70 mph. For the record I think chips and tuners are a waste of money.

 

[300I6Ranger4x4]

good. it is running cooler