SPD 170 Thermostat install. Worth it???

[ARC]

Hello,

Who here has done a SPD thermo install?

Was it worth the effort to put it in?

Doesn't seem like it drops the temps to much from what I've seen.

Wondering if I need to have the tune revised after install.

Any thoughts or comments as always appreciated.

Thanks for the info in advance.

 

[UNBROKEN]

Cooler is always better…even if it’s just a few degrees. I run the 170 and 2 bottles of Water Wetter.

 

[RobHalo]

Cooler is always better…even if it’s just a few degrees. I run the 170 and 2 bottles of Water Wetter.

Cooler air is always better, a cooler engine isn't always better. My rule of thumb would be if you don't know whether or not you need a cooler thermostat, you probably shouldn't do it.

 

[UNBROKEN]

Cooler air is always better, a cooler engine isn't always better. My rule of thumb would be if you don't know whether or not you need a cooler thermostat, you probably shouldn't do it.

170° is fine for these engines. They still run closer to 180° in reality. They’re recommended by most tuners for these things as well.

 

[TMac]

I could write quite a bit on this subject. A 170 thermo won't make much difference to an ST; it also will not gain you any horsepower. Most of the people (vendors) who supply these things are selling to people who still are thinking of carburetors, and heated intake manifolds, where that product might have had some impact on intake air temps.

In a modern GDI engine, the thermostat has very little, if any, impact on IAT. There are good reasons an engine comes with a specific thermostat that most people don't realize: mechanical clearances (piston-wall-ring clearance especially), optimal fuel burn (higher is better), oil temperature, closed-loop control, etc. I wouldn't put one in a modern GDI engine- it's just another throwback to older technology that makes money for vendors.

So, for the OP, it will have no real impact- and you won't have to revisit your tune. Even if it took 30 seconds and the product was free, I wouldn't bother.