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V6FBody Online's - Techbase:

4th Generation V6 FAQ: General Information

What is a thermostat?
What is the stock thermostat set at?
Which thermostat do you recommend?
How do you install a thermostat?
How do I get rid of that annoying speed limiter?
Are programmers available and what do they do?
Do underdrive pulleys affect performance?
How many pulleys, one or two?
Will pulleys affect the charging system?
Should I upgrade my ignition, spark plugs and wires?
What about NITROUS! I want NITROUS!

What is a thermostat?

thermostat: 1. A driver-operated device used to cycle the clutch to control the rate of refrigerant flow as a means of temperature control. 2. A temperature-sensitive component located in a housing at the coolant outlet of the engine that restricts coolant flow to the radiator to maintain the desired engine-operating temperature. Often referred to as Ranco control.

When the car is cold started the thermostat will remain closed until this certain temperature is reached (for instance 160 degrees), it then opens and the coolant can then ‘run’ thru the whole coolant system including the radiator so it cools down. During this 'cycle' more fuel is injected (fuel/air ratio) so it adds a bit of extra power also. A 160 degree thermostat will keep the engine temperature cooler than for instance a 195 degree thermostat.

Remember: a thermostat only works when the car is driving under normal conditions, so when you are in a traffic jam don’t be surprised to see that gauge going towards 200+ degrees !! It’s the radiator that cools the coolant and Not the thermostat itself. Tip: Turning on the A/C also lowers the coolant temperature as the cooling fan kicks in. There are schemes available for a so called ‘fan switch’ that will allow you to turn on the fan at any moment instead of the preset 210 (or so) degrees.

What is the stock thermostat set at?
V6 cars tend to come with a 195 degree thermostat.

Which thermostat do you recommend?
It all depends on the area you live in. If you live in Iceland and have more ice than sun then you are doing good to keep that 195 degree thermo in !! On the other hand, all Texans should consider getting a 160 .. These are 2 extreme examples but I think you catch my drift right ? The 180 degree has proven to be a good substitute for both winter and summer. Changing the thermostats is also an option: 195 in cold winter, 160 during summertime !! Okay installation might be tricky the first time, but it gets easier every time ..

How do you install a thermostat?
An installation report on a basic install of a thermostat can be found here.
A Detailed view of an install on a 3.4 L Camaro can be found here.

How do I get rid of that annoying speed limiter?
There is not much you can do to get rid of it. You can of course unplug your PCM and send it to a company that will reprogram it for you, but other than that, not many options are available.

The speed limiter monitors the engine rpm above a certain speed, when the car is going faster than the preset speed (around 90 mph) the PCM starts looking at the rpm data. When the car reaches 3700-4000 rpm the fuel is cut off and the engine seems to ‘die’. This happens at abut 108 or 115 mph … (Note: If you change the gearing you will run into the limiter earlier)

The Hypertech Power Programmer (plus) is the only aftermarket product so far that enables the user to remove this annoying limiter ! It was sold for the 3.4 some years ago, but it then was discontinued … Hypertech is supposed to release a new programmer (HPP3) for both v6 engines. When ??? Only God knows .....

Note: the JET PCM control module will NOT remove the limiter !!

Update: For those who want NO speed limitations, they can simply disconnect the VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) connector mounted on the driver side of the transmission and the speed limiter will not kick in. The only downside is that the speedometer will NOT be working, so it's kind of useless for highway driving .... It is however ideal for Dyno runs.

Are programmers available and what do they do?
They are currently unavailable for the 3.4 or the 3.8 engine because Hypertech is behind on their production. There was one for the 3.4 but was discontinued.

They Hypertech Programmer supposedly will:

Raise RPM Limits
Remove the top speed limiter
Recalibrate after gear changes
Recalibrate after tire / rim changes
Adds up to 17 HP...by mods to fuel, timing, and ignition parameters
Allows to store the stock parameters

The only downside, it will only work on one car. It downloads the previous uploaded data when it is connected so trying to reprogram another PCM would be impossible.

Do underdrive pulleys affect performance?
Under drive pulleys are often referred to as just pulleys or power pulleys.
They allow the water pump, power steering pump and alternator to turn slower yet guaranteeing the proper function of each item. By turning them slower many ‘lost horses’ are returned to where they belong, at the rear wheels. This modification is the biggest bang next to a NOS system. Why? At about $70 it will give you a SOTP improvement. The pulleys normally consist of a crank and alternator pulley.

How many pulleys, one or two?
The pulley that gives the extra power is the crank pulley. Because it’s smaller (about 25%) this is the part responsible for turning the serpentine belt slower, thus unleashing the extra hp . Most kits have an extra (bigger) pulley that needs to replace the OEM alternator pulley that will compensate for the slower turning serpentine belt, so the alternator charging capability is not affected !! It’s clear that the 1 pulley kit (crank pulley only) will give the most gain possible, but for the slight difference in power it’s wise to choose a dual pulley setup to prevent your car from having charging/battery problems..

Will pulleys affect the charging system?
A dual pulley setup won’t, and a single pulley setup doesn’t always cause problems either. It’s when you are in standing in traffic jams, in front of stoplights, etc when you notice the needle of the voltage gauge go down to around 10 volt’s! Even with dual pulleys while idling with the stereo on, fog lights, low beams, rear window defogger (and stuff like that) you will notice that the needle starts to go down towards the 10- volts !!! But situations like this are scarce, I'm driving mine with Powertech dual power pulleys for almost 1.5 years now without any problems … When you are driving (at any speed, even low speed) neither pulley setup will be a problem.

Should I upgrade my ignition, spark plugs and wires?
Aftermarket wires will definitely improve overall engine performance ! Don’t expect giant HP increases but they will sure contribute to smoother idling and prevent misfires … The aftermarket wires from for instance Accel, Taylor or MSD are thicker than the factory ones, and they are made out of superior materials which will decrease resistance by a great deal !! In combination with proper plugs this will result in a far more powerful spark resulting in a better combustion which will result in more power and better emissions .. The wires are available in several colors so they will compliment the overall ‘cosmetics’ as well, and they have better heat protection, so burned wires should become less common .. Taylor has a great set of custom wires for about $35 ! These wires should be 'plug & play' on the 3.4 engine but you can also get ‘universal’ kits which come with a crimping tool so everybody can adjust their own wire length’s and they should fit about any engine that way (MSD sells a good kit !!)

There isn’t much available on the ignition side, but MSD has recently released a kit for our v6 cars. Latest news is that they are now working on custom wiring kits to provide a much easier install.

What about NITROUS! I want NITROUS!
As far as performance goes this is the BIGGEST bang for the buck possible !! The Nitrous Express (NX) kit will either add 50, 75 or 100 hp to the rear wheels and can also be used on the 3rd Gen V6 cars!

Suggested Jettings:
2.8/3.1	50 hp shot
3.4	75 hp shot
3.8	100 hp shot