Cooler Thermostat for the Balt?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 03-21-06
Posts: 7,917
Likes: 2
From: CT
Cooler Thermostat for the Balt?
These ss/sc's run hot in traffic. I know chevys are notorious for this because I have had a few. Does anyone know of a 10 degree or 20 degree colder thermostat? Ours must be a 190 degree or something right? Maybe a 180 degree would work nicely.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 03-21-06
Posts: 7,917
Likes: 2
From: CT
WOW, ours is 180 already? Setting the fans to come on earlier is a good idea but not everyone has HPTuners. For those that don't have HPTuners, is there a cooler thermostat for our car?
Senior Member
Joined: 07-02-05
Posts: 1,322
Likes: 0
From: Mesa, Az
Originally Posted by CTCOBALTSSS
These ss/sc's run hot in traffic. I know chevys are notorious for this because I have had a few. Does anyone know of a 10 degree or 20 degree colder thermostat? Ours must be a 190 degree or something right? Maybe a 180 degree would work nicely.
Do not put a different thermostat on your balt. It runs fine the way it does. You could do more harm than good as it's setup for the stock one. They are also setup to run hot like they do, there's nothing wrong with it, Chevy designed it to do that.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 03-21-06
Posts: 7,917
Likes: 2
From: CT
Originally Posted by BullDog71ss
Do not put a different thermostat on your balt. It runs fine the way it does. You could do more harm than good as it's setup for the stock one. They are also setup to run hot like they do, there's nothing wrong with it, Chevy designed it to do that.
Senior Member
Joined: 09-02-05
Posts: 5,446
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake, UT
I've been looking for a constant-temp thermostat since I first got the car. Noone makes them for the Cobalts yet.
If you wanna see something strange... watch the engine temp in traffic when you turn the A/C on. It cools down nicely.
I also believe that the Cobalts run way too hot. Though 160 is gonna be too cold for our cars. I'd like to try a 180 or 200 degree.
If you wanna see something strange... watch the engine temp in traffic when you turn the A/C on. It cools down nicely.
I also believe that the Cobalts run way too hot. Though 160 is gonna be too cold for our cars. I'd like to try a 180 or 200 degree.
Senior Member
Joined: 11-15-05
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 0
From: Newton Highlands, Massachusetts
Originally Posted by SilverStreak
I also believe that the Cobalts run way too hot. Though 160 is gonna be too cold for our cars. I'd like to try a 180 or 200 degree.
If you want to cool the engine down, just hook up a power source to the fans and put them on a switch so you can flick them on when you want to. It works great when your at the track, you can cool the engine and not have it running!
Senior Member
Joined: 07-03-05
Posts: 4,272
Likes: 0
From: South Bend , Indiana
all you need to do is set the fans thru HPtuners . Both my fans run high speed all the time . All last week it was over 90* , cruising temps stayed below 185 ....typically 178-183 and sitting in traffic in never once got over 190* , even with air on . I do have redline water wetter in my coolant as well , which did help a little too .
Senior Member
Joined: 03-30-06
Posts: 5,489
Likes: 0
From: Chandler, AZ
A colder stat will only open the flow of coolant sooner than normal, however in heavy traffic it will eventually heat up to the same temp. You will also have to have the fans kick on sooner and stay on longer to see any real benefit, as once they turn off, your car will heat up again no matter how cold your stat is. Also, the only time one should be worried about heat soak is if they're going to race someone. The car running warm is actually most efficient, burning fuel cleaner and more completely, resulting in lower emissions and better milage. Sure, a colder stat and tweaking of the computer can give you lower coolant temps, but as a result you'll burn more gas and pollute more. Save that for the track! 
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 03-21-06
Posts: 7,917
Likes: 2
From: CT
Originally Posted by BooSSted
If you want to cool the engine down, just hook up a power source to the fans and put them on a switch so you can flick them on when you want to. It works great when your at the track, you can cool the engine and not have it running!
I really like this idea a lot. That's not hard to do. This is all good info so far.
with a colder tstat the computer is gonna dump more fuel in an attempt to heat the engine up to operating temps
you will run worse with colder tstat
the tstat has nothing to do with the fan coming on, you need a relay or as some ppl have said hptuners to set a lower fan cuton
vettes run 232degress b4 the fan comes on ours run 222, AND THATS OK
also ANY time you turn on the AC both fans come on(true on all cars), thats why the temps drop
you will run worse with colder tstat
the tstat has nothing to do with the fan coming on, you need a relay or as some ppl have said hptuners to set a lower fan cuton
vettes run 232degress b4 the fan comes on ours run 222, AND THATS OK
also ANY time you turn on the AC both fans come on(true on all cars), thats why the temps drop
Senior Member
Joined: 09-02-05
Posts: 5,446
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake, UT
Originally Posted by GSoccer24
we have a 180, as stated above. most cars i know where there is a cooler thermostat offered lowers the temp by 20-30 degrees. this is especially beneficial for a modified SS S/C because the lower engine temps will reduce the chance of detonation. having 20 degree colder coolant won't harm anything at all.
Most cars these days have a 200-210 degree stat.
Senior Member
Joined: 11-15-05
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 0
From: Newton Highlands, Massachusetts
Originally Posted by SilverStreak
Please prove to me that we have a 180* thermostat.
Most cars these days have a 200-210 degree stat.
Most cars these days have a 200-210 degree stat.
Senior Member
Joined: 03-30-06
Posts: 5,489
Likes: 0
From: Chandler, AZ
Originally Posted by SilverStreak
Please prove to me that we have a 180* thermostat.
Most cars these days have a 200-210 degree stat.
Most cars these days have a 200-210 degree stat.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 03-21-06
Posts: 7,917
Likes: 2
From: CT
Originally Posted by BooSSted
If you want to cool the engine down, just hook up a power source to the fans and put them on a switch so you can flick them on when you want to. It works great when your at the track, you can cool the engine and not have it running!
Senior Member
Joined: 10-08-05
Posts: 751
Likes: 0
From: Metro Detroit
Originally Posted by WopOnTour
Another old wives (mechanics?) tale IMO.
You'll have to explain to me the thermal dynamics of how a lower temp thermostat is going to make your engine run cooler.
A 160 stat just OPENS at a lower temp and THAT IS ALL, it doesnt "regulate" your engine temps- heat production levels and ability of the heat transfer system (pump, radiator, fans etc) do that. A stat opening point is more about regulating engine warm-up rate up to operating temperature and when flow through the radiator commences- not control what the peak temperature will be!
All a lower temp stat does is OPEN sooner, but your engine's heat production at load remains constant and the thermal transfer capabilities of the cooling system ISNT changed ONE IOTA with a lower opening stat. SO unless you are changing coolant FLOW somehow with a larger flow rate or improving the rate of heat exchange, switching to a lower Tstat does NOTHING.
JMO
Wop
You'll have to explain to me the thermal dynamics of how a lower temp thermostat is going to make your engine run cooler.
A 160 stat just OPENS at a lower temp and THAT IS ALL, it doesnt "regulate" your engine temps- heat production levels and ability of the heat transfer system (pump, radiator, fans etc) do that. A stat opening point is more about regulating engine warm-up rate up to operating temperature and when flow through the radiator commences- not control what the peak temperature will be!
All a lower temp stat does is OPEN sooner, but your engine's heat production at load remains constant and the thermal transfer capabilities of the cooling system ISNT changed ONE IOTA with a lower opening stat. SO unless you are changing coolant FLOW somehow with a larger flow rate or improving the rate of heat exchange, switching to a lower Tstat does NOTHING.
JMO
Wop
Senior Member
Joined: 04-03-06
Posts: 7,570
Likes: 0
From: Mesa, AZ
If you change the thermostat without reprograming the fans its not gonna help anything. The thermostat will open, but since the fans don't come on til like 220, you won't get any cooler with the thermostat just letting fresh 220 degree water in.
