I'd agree with that based on just the breadth of shared knowledge here on that. I'd just venture that older than 97 the PCMs are dumber..... Not that it's a bad thing.

 

The only reason people install a 180º thermostat is because all the cool kids are doing it.

Waste of time, effort, and dollars.

 

The same statement could be said about everything...including driving an Aircooled vw. a pickup truck, a k$n filter or any performance or visual modification..
you could say doing anything to these depreciating old outdated and inefficient trucks is a waste of time effort and dollars right? Its not like we would get it back if we sold them? There's more than one way to look at everything...you take the negative route I'll stick to the middle ground and try to see both ways..

When my thermostat failed I remember the 180 being the same price as the 195 so IDK if your vague blanket statement applies to everyone..

The FACT is 195 stat is for emissions, its not optimum for performance. It works better with performance tunes like the sct and it might be because of things like explained in the speedtweaks attachment from the DIY section. Or maybe the same reasons one would use a lower temp thermostat for performance in any vehicle... to squeeze out as much power as cost effectively as possible.
I will say I agree that many here install it just because they read its a performance mod... without any knowledge or cares on how and if its working for them... like those stupid throttle boby spacers which dont work on our trucks period.

 

Incorret VW i was under the assumption it was better that my motor ran a little cooler. I assume i am right and wrong. Im not wasting my money because i planned on replacing my thermostat anyway since my intake is off. So im not doing it because its what other people are doing. And it is cold here on the Chesapeake during the winter but idk if it will make much of a difference. I can spit out my back door and hit the bay haha

 

The thermostat will not make the engine run cooler. Why this bit of misinformation won't die is beyond me.

 

Yeah, the 15 degrees cooler isn't gonna make any difference..... now, if you have complimentary mods that WANT or EXPECT the lower temp stat, like a tuner of some variety, then I can see it, otherwise, it doesn't really do anything useful.

 

I would like you to show your source that a 195º thermostat is in place for emissions.

 

While the 195 stat may not be optimal for performance, it IS what the PCM expects to see, and what the engineers programmed around. That's why I suggest just leaving it stock, UNLESS you have mitigating circumstances. (tuner that wants a 180.)

 

i Understand now that the 15 degrees wont make a bit of difference. The emission statement may or may not be true but i read somewhere that your oil has to reach over 200 degrees F to burn off impurities and that may have to do with emission IDK?? but with the 180 stat i shouldn't see any difference but should i go back to autozone and buy a 195 or just use what i got? Because if it doesn't make a difference i don't want to waste gas and driving 60 miles.

 

so why would someone program a tuner to want 180 instead of the 195? unless the conditions were better suited to make more power?