Im Confused?

[83turbomon]

Im confused... some on the B4 Black website, it said to switch my thermostat to a 160 degree thermostat, but if you want performance many people have told me on this website to use a 180+ degree thermostat for better performance? I drove the car a short way the other day and it seems like the engine NEVER heats up on the gauge, but if you open the hood or walk by it after the car is off, it feels real hot.

p.s. the turbo buick will be on the road TUESDAY:biggrin:
and whoever said that B4 Black cars aernt fast hasnt driven mine, I made it through 4 consecutive green lights without one even turning yellow.. haha....!:biggrin:

 

[usetaboost]

What's normal operating temp of your car?

 

[83turbomon]

What's normal operating temp of your car?

I think its around 160 degrees but ive been told for performance to use a 180 thermostat.

 

[WarWagon]

Turbocharged engines use HEAT to make power. But it isn't good to have your engine's cooling system setup to run hotter.
I run a 160 thermostat and my engine does not run hot, I do not have a temp gauge I have a dummy light that glows brighter as the coolant temp increases. BUT I can always pop the hood while the engine is running at operating temp or even right after several WOT blasts and grab the upper radiator hose with my bare hands and never get burnt.

 

[MNcarbturbo]

I had a 160 in when I put my motor together. Worked good and all but I bought a new water temp guage and it showed 160. Old one must have been off 20 degrees. Put a 180 in and it runs at 180. 160 is too cold for DD in MN.

 

[WarWagon]

That's right MNcarbturbo!!!! I thought about that after I posted. Your location does make a difference. If it's always an average lower temp outside you will have to run a 180 thermostat to compensate for the low ambient temp. as so on if you live in the desert you will run the lower temp thermostat or none at all.

 

[charlief1]

You're in Washington State so it's colder. You will need a little more temp to make it work. The 180 or 192/195 temp stat will be what you need. Since you have a stock car with all systems working you should be ok until it gets warm again.

 

[83turbomon]

You're in Washington State so it's colder. You will need a little more temp to make it work. The 180 or 192/195 temp stat will be what you need. Since you have a stock car with all systems working you should be ok until it gets warm again.

yeah I dont know if all of my systems are working properly... but u are right about the blistering nose running, flu enticing weather that is western washington. since I am thinking of finding an electric fan and getting some help hooking it up to the radiator, I will run a 180 thermostat until around May... thats when it starts getting slightly warm.
(ps ive been told that eastern washington is like west Texas hotter den hell)

 

[b4black]

Hotter is better for making power, but heat also leads to detonation. I didn't test different temps myslef, but follow the advice of the 86/87 guys. Seems for them, the detriment of have a colder combustion chamber was more than made up for having less detonation and running more boost. Seem to be universal advice for blown engines.

They all could be wrong, but I have had the 160 thermostat in my car for years and will stick with it. The temp gauge runs right above the blue mark.

If I had a NA engine and it wasn't knocking, I would stick with the higher temperature thermostat.

 

[charlief1]

Not gonna argue with you at all Rich. High temp is a killer on an engine that will detonate if you're not careful. But in the colder climates I think you should be ok to run a warmer one during cold months. Just make sure you have a knock sensor that works as well as a visual/audible knock detector.