I agree it could cause a problem. Hasn't yet. I don't think 20 degrees cooler from the 180 stock to a 160 is that big of a jump. If it never got to closed loop and ran real rich, I think that would have killed my gas mileage, and it hasn't so far. I really just wanted to see if going to a 160 would keep my liners from moving. It definitely did that. I now want to see if I can fool the ECU into thinking the engine is running warmer to see if it changes anything. I have the autocom and can keep an eye on everything with my computer (thanks for all of that again) and all seems well. If you would like more info on the mod or more pics just let me know. I don't think I can be the only person that thinks this might be a good idea.

 

I think most of us believe cooler is good, or we would not be installing the 180 degree stats. I don't have enough knowledge about it to know if 160 will make it have problems or not. I do know that the computer will keep trying to compensate, but if you can tell the computer a new value, maybe that issue will go away.

On the VW, I don't know what the difference in temp was since I never tested it. I just kept getting the too cool code. I changed the Stat three times, so I kept thinking it was something else causing the code to come up. In actuality, it was 2 bad thermos back to back. I didn't put them into boiling water as I am supposed to, and I paid the price, a new cat.

Good luck, and please keep us updated. If things go well, I'll be asking to get more photos. Were the parts you used readily available, or did you need to make any of them? Even if a person was not going to go to 160 degree, the mod you made would work for any temp.

 

I bought everything. I had already added the water temp gauge so I already had the glowshift temp sensor adapter. I just drilled and tapped it for the bleeder. The bleeder I got from Home Depot. It was in the air compressor section. It is a replacement petcock for the bottom of air tanks. I got the inline thermostat housing off ebay. I used all stock hoses. I had just put all new ones on, so I used bits of my old ones with the new ones. I got an emergency radiator hose coupling kit from advanced auto to combine some of the hoses. And yes you can put any temp GM thermostat you want in it. They are around 7 bucks. You could replace all the hoses with ones that are readily available, with a bit of trial and error, so you could be able to get parts quicker and cheaper.

 

So I finally burned through another tank of gas (never thought I would say that)! It was all city, air on, and pulling a 3000 lb. trailer. I got a bit over 11mpg. No too shabby considering. If running at 160 is detrimental to my mpg, it is so slight, that it becomes not a factor in deciding to do this. I have figured out how the ECT sensor works and will be trying out resistors soon. Will post back after I get it to work.

 

So I just figured it out. A 1k ohm resistor connected to the ECT makes a 22 degree fahrenheit jump according to my autocom. So now my ECU thinks it is running with a 180 thermostat.