Hey yall - wondering about engine temps. With Whipple and oversized heat exchanger my truck is struggling to get past 174 degrees. I know 160 and lower is bad. I get a check engine light around that temp. I assume the tuner knows what he's doing and the temps are fine but Google says 190+. The truck has a 160 degree t stat.

Is 174 too cool? It'll get into the 190s on a warm day parked, but cools pretty quickly once moving. Coolant is full and the heat works and there's no coolant in the oil. I did have some coolant come from water pump weep hole while in cold midwest last week but doesn't seem to be dripping right now. I think the truck just cools well.

 

The water pump only has 6k miles on it, but I think I need to replace it now, right?

 

A 160°F thermostat is just too low. The water pump is not the issue. When you change the thermostat, use an OEM one. Lots of issues with aftermarket versions.

 

Why? What's the effect on oil performance and life running at that temperature? What's the effect on engine power and wear at that temperature?

 

The PCM >>times<< the Temperature rise to above the program's lower limit.
If it does not get there within that time limit, a code might be set.
Best to keep the Thermostat at 175 or above.
Good luck.

 

Agree with the above, I have another car brand that I could not find the recommended thermostat temp spec and I had a constant CEL because of it until I found the correct replacement.

Tom

 

OEM only. I just replaced mine in the summer. It was running hot 220-225. Now chilling at 195ish. Truck seems to like it a lot better

 

The truck has Whipple and custom dyno tune. I don't think OEM is the answer. I don't get a CEL in mid 170s and I don't live where it's cold enough to have CEL like I did on the road trip. I feel like the performance shop and tuner wouldn't put the 160 in and tune it that way if it should have OEM. I see a lot of people talk about a 170 and say the 160s are hit and miss but they seem to run hot and mine cool.

Not sure if mid 170s is too cool or not. I live in FL and it gets hot during the summer and I need the cooling then. Just wondering if I should run a different thermostat during cooler months or if 170s are okay based on no CEL?

 

Steve, just offering more opinion you came to ask for, so please consider that.
In you part of the country, Summer gets quite hot.
At say for example a 95 * ambient, and your 170 thermostat, your asking for only a 75 degree difference from the [cooling area MEDIUM] you have.
With Super Charger and It's Cooler in front of the Radiator, I assume, your asking for a lot of cooling from 170 with only a 75 degree .>>>differential in Temperatures to Ambient and motoring along at road speeds not enough air passing through the cooling mediums.
Same thing happens if the Cooling system has a reduction in coolant flow or Blockage or the Radiator is too small etc..
In my opinion that is cutting it to close to the low end of Thermo-dynamics heat flow, in your set up.
Your Tuner should have a better handle on this than we do.
If I am wrong, then opinions don't matter much.
Good luck.

 

I'm here for opinions so no problem with yours. I have a 160 t stat and was wondering if moving to a 170 might be more beneficial for me. I'm not sure I understand your example about temperature differences. Not enough air flow would make it too hot not too cool. Am I misunderstanding?