There are many studies showing the 180* tstat putting your engine in optimum operating temp for performance and yet not have the cylinder wash and thus excellerated engine wear associated with the 160*.
Back before we had the tuning options afforded by HPTuners and the Powrtuner, those more heavily modded that needed to find a way to knock had few choices to do so. The 160*tstat was one of those compromises which fortunately is no longer required.
*Edited* Here is a good write-up with a chart that reflects what a lot of the other articles comfirm. Cobra Valley's Balanced Thermostats
and something else: ROADandTRACK.com -- Technical Correspondence - Technical Correspondence — February 2005 (2/2005)
