I can see where both sides are right. It all depends on your car just like different people can run smaller pulley sizes than others.

It's half preference, and half mechanical. I don't really see the argument of beating a dead horse here....if you have a tuner then you can take full advantage of either.

FWIW I have a 180 and at highway speeds my temps seldom see 170 let alone 180+

It all just depends on where you're at with what you've got I think.

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GreenBastardPerformance2000 GTP Coupe (the green bastard)
XP, Pacesetters, LS1 TB & MAF,MSD System, P&P LIM, P&P GenV w/ 3.2, 3.0, 2.8, Devil'sOwn Injected 100% Methanol,PowerTuned, TripleEdge Trans w/3.29's
12.92 @ 105mph

Agreed. That pretty much what the short article I posted said. The more modded the more benefit.

I'm amazed your temps are that low. It means your t stat isn't even opening most of the time. My ECT's normally stay right at the fan hi lo settings. When I had the Stage 3 Rad 3 fmhe, during the summer with the AC on it would climb near 200* when hiway traffic would slow during rush hour.

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04 Indy SS build #972
XP, TOG's, Lightning injectors, 2.8 pulley, 105 CC springs, Wizaired, 3.29 gears, tripleedgeperformance ported blower, machined LIM, 180* tstat, RS12YC@.053, FP rewire, Alt rewire, stage 1 V boost, PRJ wires, Stage 2 IC

No, it means its opening too soon. If it wasn't opening he'd over heat.

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2004 Impala LS - got some mods
NAIOA Moderator

Making you think twice before picking on Impalas

I understand that. But knowing Brian, I'm sure he's not running a faulty t-stat. If barely getting to 170 then it's almost acting like a 160 with fans set accordingly.

All of this t-stat talk just reminded me It's time to throw the drilled 180 in.

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04 Indy SS build #972
XP, TOG's, Lightning injectors, 2.8 pulley, 105 CC springs, Wizaired, 3.29 gears, tripleedgeperformance ported blower, machined LIM, 180* tstat, RS12YC@.053, FP rewire, Alt rewire, stage 1 V boost, PRJ wires, Stage 2 IC

The biggest thing I came away with from this is that my cylinders are wearing half as much as an engine with a lower t-stat.

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2004 Impala LS - got some mods
NAIOA Moderator

Making you think twice before picking on Impalas

LOL

I'm not sure I came away with that much.

In traffic, it does it's job well....going down the road it's cool as a cucumber. It just NEVER sees anything over 200 degrees. Good or bad, that's how I roll.

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GreenBastardPerformance2000 GTP Coupe (the green bastard)
XP, Pacesetters, LS1 TB & MAF,MSD System, P&P LIM, P&P GenV w/ 3.2, 3.0, 2.8, Devil'sOwn Injected 100% Methanol,PowerTuned, TripleEdge Trans w/3.29's
12.92 @ 105mph

The number gauges on my GP are 210 and 160. Thus, a mid point is 185. It's almost always at or below that point. It's possible GM set it up so that the mid point is 195, but again, it's usually below that temperature.

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2004 Impala SS - ZZP PCM, 3.4" Pulley, K&N CAI, TOG Headers, SLP Cat-Back, 180* thermo, Autolite 605s, PRJ Performance wires, Alternator rewire, GMPP Handling kit
2000 Grand Prix GT, Commuter Car - K&N CAI, GMPP Handling kit, ZZP downpipe w/U-bend delete, ZZP Plog, Alternator rewire

When I drive my car to work, I don't race there. I drive 100 miles a day. I get in the car, relax and drive. I don't speed. I don't beat on my car, etc. When I do race, I do so at the track. If I am going to the track, I will do a bunch of things to my car to prep it to race. Remove weight, change tune, change t-stat, etc. I mod my car so that I can have fun on the weekends at the track. But I de-mod my car during the week to save fuel.

Make sense?

I don't street race, so why keep a mod that I only use on the weekends?

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1997 GTP - 200k+ miles, PEMs, 3" SS Exhaust w/ Borla Mufflers, 3.4", 180* stat(summer), FWI, 1.84 RR, PT, SLP hood, KYB GR2s, GMPP Handling Kit, etc...

I wish I could run a 3.4 without needing the t stat. I guess a IC would do the trick but for now I will have to stick with t stat, intake and exhaust.

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1998 GTP , CAI box
Waiting for install: 3.4 pulley

Yes an IC would do the trick, but don't feel bad about your decission to run the 180*. Many with IC's, other mods, and tuners run them. It's fine.

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04 Indy SS build #972
XP, TOG's, Lightning injectors, 2.8 pulley, 105 CC springs, Wizaired, 3.29 gears, tripleedgeperformance ported blower, machined LIM, 180* tstat, RS12YC@.053, FP rewire, Alt rewire, stage 1 V boost, PRJ wires, Stage 2 IC