MicroSquirt.com read only forum (Jan.15,2018)

The stock one runs at 205 F. To my recollection, the stats are high for better emissions. It shouldn't be a problem to put in a lower one if I'm controlling the fuel and spark now anyway, right?

It may not be your thermostat , most T'stats are around 195 ,

Do you have Electric Cooling Fans ? ,
when do they turn on ? , there is usually a high and low speed also .

If you have an engine driven fan , does it have a Fluid Clutch on it ,
they are usually thermostatically controlled .
Also Fluid Clutches do wear out or leak .

If you don't move enough air through the radiator ,
changing the T'stat will do nothing .

Actually achieving a steady 160 degrees usually requires a bigger radiator .

The only advantage to running cooler temps is that you can advance your
Ignition Timing and gain 2 or 3% more power .

If you don't advance your Timing the engine will actually LOSE POWER ,
and require richer mixtures .

If you put in a 160 degree T'stat and advance your Timing ,
and the Radiator and/or cooling fans can't keep up ,
then your engine is going to get hotter than the T'stat rating ,
just like it does right now .
So now you have the Ignition over advanced for a 205 temp ,
and the engine Detonates .

So now you have a car that requires Premium Gas and
gets bad gas mileage and makes 5 more horsepower (when it's cool) .

The engine will actually run more efficiently at 195 to 200 degrees .

I run mine with a 195 degree T'stat on purpose ,
but I also have a huge 3 core radiator and 2 electric fans ,
so it never gets above 200 degrees under the worst conditions .

You also need to look at air flow management into and out of your
radiator and engine compartment , nothing is going to get temps
down if you are recirculating hot air from the engine compartment
back into your radiator .

BTW , it makes your heater work much better .

...................Jim

I just trimmed the spring that in my tstat to make it run a little cooler. I'm not sure what our stock tstats are supposed to run at, but mine would hold it at half gauge, which isn't stock So I just trimmed it and hopefully it'll run cooler.
-teb

Interesting read Jim.