viperdude118
Viper Owner
Which should I get a 170 or 180 thermostat on a mostly stock car?
170/180 degree thermostat
- Thread starter viperdude118
- Start date
dave6666
Enthusiast
180 deg given your question. But I live in Texas where the car is going to run hotter than that regardless of the thermostat. I therefore have the stock 195 deg.
Viper Wizard
Enthusiast
Go with the 180' because some Vipers will throw a "to cold, to long" code!
01ACR/VIPER
Enthusiast
170 In Mine...no Probs With Codes.
viperdude118
Viper Owner
I'm sold, I'll go with the 180 then. Thanks Chuck!
Flyntgr
Viper Owner
Remember where you live, in Florida. That's a warm place to drive a Viper. I live in S.E. Louisiana, and never had trouble with the 170 degree thermostat.
viperdude118
Viper Owner
Yeah, I realized that. But I bet I'll have the viper longer than I'll live in Florida! If I go with more mods later, its a cheap replacement to go with the 170.
dave6666
Enthusiast
I wonder if the reason the 170 works so good is that at the temperatures you see everyday, the thermostat really is not doing anything, like regulating engine temps. The stat is always open because it is hot where you live. Just like where I live here in Texas.
revived_gearhead
Viper Owner
I just took out a 170 and installed the 180 stat. The 170 would heat up and eventually stay open. This results in the thermostat not being able to close long enough to trap the coolant in the radiator to allow for ample cooling. The 180 works much better. That and the Ron Davis radiator helped. Keep in mind, if it's hot as Haiti outside, the same could happen with a 180. Your tune can have a lot to do with it also. My '02 FE is stock except for headers and exhaust. The car came with the stock PCM and a PCM from West coast Viper. I had the stock PCM in to get the car to pass the state inspection. (W/C PCM failed)
After still running a little warmer with the stock PCM, I put the West Coast PCM in. It runs 15 degrees cooler. The stock PCM must have been a little lean on the fuel. Ya think? I'm not crazy about the W/C tune but it definitly runs cooler. Next move - SCT!!!
After still running a little warmer with the stock PCM, I put the West Coast PCM in. It runs 15 degrees cooler. The stock PCM must have been a little lean on the fuel. Ya think? I'm not crazy about the W/C tune but it definitly runs cooler. Next move - SCT!!!
NSRENDR
Viper Owner
Listen to Chuck he is the expert,believe me i did.
Now i'm happier and so is the car.
Joe.
Now i'm happier and so is the car.
Joe.
saadeldin75
Viper Owner
Hello guys
What would be a proper thermostat for Arizona weather ?
I live in Saudi Arabia and it goes to 60 degree in the summer and looking to change my thermostat, should I go for 170 or more
Please advice
What would be a proper thermostat for Arizona weather ?
I live in Saudi Arabia and it goes to 60 degree in the summer and looking to change my thermostat, should I go for 170 or more
Please advice
While I do not plan on entering the science vs. observation discussion here...I will note that 60 C is about 140 F !!! That's a HOT ambient temp !!!
Allan
Enthusiast
170 in mine, no codes........about 28,000 miles with it. 
dave6666
Enthusiast
Go with a temperature that the car is tuned to run with. Likely, that is not 170.
Like most things, there's a practical limit to bigger is better. Um, I mean colder is better. Unfortunately, redneck engineering sometimes supersedes actual engineering.
Like most things, there's a practical limit to bigger is better. Um, I mean colder is better. Unfortunately, redneck engineering sometimes supersedes actual engineering.
Allan
Enthusiast
I got my stat from Roe, with the single blade throttle body, S&B filters, and SCT tuner with their tune for this stuff and the Mopar race exhaust. Roe recommended the 170 stat for track use, and my idiot bolt-on mods. The car runs great with no problems. I wouldn't run the 170 stat with the stock tune and street driving only.............
170 t stat vs 180 really doesnt matter. So with either one. I've used both and cant notice any difference between the two. But make certain you get your PCM tuned via SCT and reprogram the fan turn on temps to turn on at a lower temperature. This with a lower t-stat makes a difference. Airflow is key.
dave6666
Enthusiast
+1
Why not go with a 160?
140?
120?
any takers
Just leave it out lol.
Ive bought a few vehicles from down south or out west that didnt have one. I wondered why the heat sucked and I was freezing through Chicago winters. LOL
EllowViper
Enthusiast
Engines are engineered to run best at certain temps. I think most on here know that. You have hot clearance specifications, oil characteristics changes, etcetera... not to mention dreaded emmissions and AFR-related issues that can pop-up when you modify various engine parameters. Now with my ROE, I'm running the 180 degree T-stat and for the most part, I stay right at the stock engine temp levels. I also went back to the stock radiator from the big FLUIDYNE since I didn't end up needing that much unnecessary cooling. But I have to say, when the engine temp actually gets a bit elevated, the engine revs, sounds, and basically seems to be happier vs. when its running a bit cooler. Likewise, when the tranny gets warmed-up, it performs much better too. So yes, it may be counter-intuitive so some extent to believe that running cooler is better, but in actuality, your engine may like it a bit on the warm side since all the clearances and design parameters are more closely achieved. An old MOPAR guy told me once that a hot engine with a cold aircharge makes for the best atomization of the fuel when it hits the intake. But that was 30 some years ago in the old Holley double-pumper days.
I've posted this experience many times in the forums but I just can't seem to find those posts. But essentially, I agree with Ellow. My experience with lower temp t-stats has shown a few things. Tom (Fluids and Lubes Geek) once wrote that installing a lower temp t-stat, in and of itself, is akin to opening a window earlier in the morning on a hot summers' day. Sure, it opens at a lower temperature...so what? If the rest of the cooling system doesn't take advatage of it there's no improvement certainly nothing noticeable after a short term.
I've installed the 170 t-stat. I noticed my coolant temp stay at a lower range on my gauge for a short while and that was about it. I had my PCM programmed with an SCT tune that changed the temperatures at which the cooling fan turns on. It comes on at a lower temperature. The much needed airflow through the radiator begins sooner rather than later. This in conjunction with my now 180 degree t-stat has kept my temp at the middle mark on the gauge in a number of conditions. On the track, on a hot summer day my temps don't climb past 220 anymore but under 210 no matter how hard I drive on the track. There's a noticeable difference since changing the fan turn on temps.
I also have the Roe Front Fascia duct kit installed and I do notice the added airflow helps at speed.
I have a vented cowl which helps let some hot air escape the engine bay.
I routinely flush and refill my coolant system.
Dave, through his airflow anaylsis proved that airflow is the key (in addition to a coolant system that is well maintained and operates in an optimal manner). I may undertake Dave's auxillary fan mod this summer.
As Ellow stated, the engine is very happy operating in it's normal temperature range.
I did get a CEL once using the 170 t-stat. It was 2006, it was snowing and the outside temp was in the 30's. I had the Viper out (don't ask). The coolant temp was abnormally low and a CEL was thrown indicating such. That was it.
I've installed the 170 t-stat. I noticed my coolant temp stay at a lower range on my gauge for a short while and that was about it. I had my PCM programmed with an SCT tune that changed the temperatures at which the cooling fan turns on. It comes on at a lower temperature. The much needed airflow through the radiator begins sooner rather than later. This in conjunction with my now 180 degree t-stat has kept my temp at the middle mark on the gauge in a number of conditions. On the track, on a hot summer day my temps don't climb past 220 anymore but under 210 no matter how hard I drive on the track. There's a noticeable difference since changing the fan turn on temps.
I also have the Roe Front Fascia duct kit installed and I do notice the added airflow helps at speed.
I have a vented cowl which helps let some hot air escape the engine bay.
I routinely flush and refill my coolant system.
Dave, through his airflow anaylsis proved that airflow is the key (in addition to a coolant system that is well maintained and operates in an optimal manner). I may undertake Dave's auxillary fan mod this summer.
As Ellow stated, the engine is very happy operating in it's normal temperature range.
I did get a CEL once using the 170 t-stat. It was 2006, it was snowing and the outside temp was in the 30's. I had the Viper out (don't ask). The coolant temp was abnormally low and a CEL was thrown indicating such. That was it.
