Any comments on removing the thermostat? This is Florida...not a freeze zone.
I read somewhere that some people claim this will actually make the engine run hotter. The argument being that the coolant rushes through the engine too quickly to allow heat to transfer to the coolant, and in the same vein, the coolant moves too quickly through the radiator to allow the coolant to shed the heat into the coils and fins of the radiator.
That being said, I am not sure I believe it. I would think the coolant would have to be moving awful damned fast for this to happen. And it seems to me that if I am overheated from working outside and jump into a cold shower, the faster the water flow the better to cool me down. :hehehe:
But bear in mind, that this is a cooling SYSTEM. The thermostat is only one part of that system. It is designed to regulate the amount of coolant that can pass through the engine based on the temperature of the coolant. If your entire system will not allow the coolant to drop down below 195 degrees, then a 160 thermostat isn't going to do much beyond opening sooner then your engine goes from cold to hot. Once it reaches full operating temperature and the coolant never drops down below 195, because it CAN'T, then the thermostat is completely out of the picture until you shut down the engine and the coolant cools down enough for it to close.
Now, if you add a hi-cap radiator and/or make other modifications whereby the operating temperature is more like 180 degrees, then replacing the stock thermostat with a 160 WILL drop the temp of the coolant during regular operation. Whereas if you had done those same mods with something like a 200 degree thermostat, then the thermostat just would not allow the coolant to drop below it's opening temperature. Because if the temps DID drop below it's opening temperature, it would begin to close, restricting the flow of coolant, and cause the temps to RISE. Not sure how good this would be for a thermostat to be constantly cycling opened and closed, but I would imagine that premature failure of the thermostat may be in your future that way.
Now, with no thermostat at all, I guess you would be able to see what the running temperature of your engine stabilizes at, and perhaps use that as a guide as to whether just adding a lower thermostat will be worthwhile for you or not.
In my opinion, of course.