Quote Originally Posted by Whiplash Performance View Post
Street engines were designed to be ran at the operating temperatures of the stock thermostat. NASCAR teams use a 200* degree t-stat.
Its been dyno proven that using the stock tstat produces more power because the engine components clearance tolerances were designed to operate under the temperatures of the stock t-stat. So in the stock t-stat temp ranges allows for the least amount of friction.

The lower temperature thermostats came about when the first computer controlled cars were around, and nobody knew how to tune them. Since with the timing table in the computer controller cars had higher spark advance (timing) at lower ects (Engine Coolant Temperatures) from the factory, installing a 180* t-stat actually gave you more power because of how the timing tables were designed. The idea has just carried over from those days.
literally the greatest explanation of a lower temperature thermostat that ive ever heard. i commend you, sir.