The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - Can an AC Installed make the engine run hotter than before?

brown7373 · 07-30-2014, 08:36 AM

Most vehicles from this era had 195 degree thermostats as original equipment. The thermostat was designed to open at 195 and the engine was designed to run a little above that. Many people, myself included, change to 180 or 160s, thinking running at a lower temperature is better. First off, a lower temperature t-stat will not lower operating temperature UNLESS you have enough cooling capacity to maintain that temperature. But that begs the question...do you or I know more than the engineers who designed these vehicles? I doubt it. We are driving vehicles 30, 40 50 years old or more. Properly maintained, they still operate as they were designed many years ago.

Leave it alone. There is nothing to gain.

07-30-2014, 08:36 AM	#24
brown7373 Registered User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Fort Pierce, FL Posts: 430	Re: Can an AC Installed make the engine run hotter than before? Most vehicles from this era had 195 degree thermostats as original equipment. The thermostat was designed to open at 195 and the engine was designed to run a little above that. Many people, myself included, change to 180 or 160s, thinking running at a lower temperature is better. First off, a lower temperature t-stat will not lower operating temperature UNLESS you have enough cooling capacity to maintain that temperature. But that begs the question...do you or I know more than the engineers who designed these vehicles? I doubt it. We are driving vehicles 30, 40 50 years old or more. Properly maintained, they still operate as they were designed many years ago. Leave it alone. There is nothing to gain.