T-Stat/Gas Mileage

[97DodgeDK]

Howdy, I am new to this group. My question is if I put a 180 degree t-stat on my 3.9 dakota will it give me better gas milage??
Thanks Jack

[HemiDak]

No, it won't affect your MPG at all.

[dgc333]

I agree with Yellow. Theoretically it should be worse, but you will never see an improvement or loss.

It will not improve the power either. Theoretically it increase it, but you will never see an improvement or loss. It may help if you are making other mods.

It might help if you have a detonation problem.

You will likely not get as much heat in the winter.

[92dakotahd]

I agree with Yellow. Theoretically it should be worse, but you will never see an improvement or loss.

It will not improve the power either. Theoretically it increase it, but you will never see an improvement or loss. It may help if you are making other mods.

It might help if you have a detonation problem.

You will likely not get as much heat in the winter.

I'm sorry but you need to end half those sentences with "I never saw an improvement or loss" There are those who have felt a difference after the 180-T-stat in power, as it's at optimum temp, but I have never heard of a change in MPG.

[zog_man]

Changing thermostats to a cooler one usually has little effect on most stock vehicles...I had an 86 Vette that ran hot all the time (they all do)....I put a 180 thermostat in it and the only change was that it opened sooner (by 15 degrees) and there was a little less heat in the winter.

My son put a 180 in his Chevy s10....same results except that his MPG went down....apparently the computer kept pumping in extra fuel to warm the darn thing up to 195!!!

For a highly modified vehicle there are benefits, but for the typical driver, the automobile engineers are smarter than I am.... :banana2:

[mopar rt]

First of all the GMs are set up differently then the Mopars, going to a lower T-Stat has little effect on them and in some cases has ill effects unless you change the MAF.

Dodge does not use the MAF and relies on the IAT to measure air temp. Changing to the 180 degree stat on the Dodge helps complement other mods like PCM upgrades, cold air intakes etc.

Using the 180 degree stat and relocating the IAT will decrease fuel mileage.

[sailsurf7713]

Can someone explain to me why you would put a lower degree t-stat in a vehicle? Physically speaking a particle that has more energy, when taking part in a chemical reaction can release more energy. Granted you want cold air coming into the engine do to the fact that more oxygen molecules are there to be burned giving a more powerful explosion which equals more horsepower, however before the particles are ignited their net energy is increased through transfer of energy (heat) in the engine to themselves. The more energy these particles have when they are ingnited the more energy they give off meaning: more efficiency and power. I understand that running the engine cold would allow you to really let loose with less chance of overheating, however this is better to correct through upgrading the forced convection aspect of the engine (most likely electric fans). Am I right or am I wrong? I just don't understand the point of lowering the engine temperature.

[HemiDak]

Can someone explain to me why you would put a lower degree t-stat in a vehicle? Physically speaking a particle that has more energy, when taking part in a chemical reaction can release more energy. Granted you want cold air coming into the engine do to the fact that more oxygen molecules are there to be burned giving a more powerful explosion which equals more horsepower, however before the particles are ignited their net energy is increased through transfer of energy (heat) in the engine to themselves. The more energy these particles have when they are ingnited the more energy they give off meaning: more efficiency and power. I understand that running the engine cold would allow you to really let loose with less chance of overheating, however this is better to correct through upgrading the forced convection aspect of the engine (most likely electric fans). Am I right or am I wrong? I just don't understand the point of lowering the engine temperature.

All I'll say is hot engines don't make a lot of power. They actually lose it...

[addicted2blue00]

if i remember this is a mopar site not chevy, switching to a 180 stat will help ya, i did it, and dont regret, didnt see any difference in gas mileage, i still have that blazing heat in the winter, i couldnt tell a difference in power but i think its better for the oil since its some degrees cooler on your oil.

if im not mistaken most of the vettes in the 80s werent nothing but problems.

[dakota g33k]

i didn't notice any difference swapping out mine except that the temp needle doesn't deflect as far. make more expensive mods to your v6 and i'd expect more noticable perfomance improvement. the t-stat swap is at most a $15 mod (for parts)... my biggest performance gain was from a $300 superchips tune.

more money in the pit = bigger gains. sad but more often true