TStat limits the lowest operating temp. Tstat begins to open at it rated temp and fully opens 10-20 degrees after that. You either know how they work or you think you know. IF you put a 160 in and it runs the same as the 180.. That proves the point that it does nothing but allow the car to warm up to that temp quicker. Some cars yes will stay around 160, but most cars will still continue to raise after that. I have a 180 right now and I know that it will start to creep to 190-200 and stay in that range unless at a light and then creep to 210. IF I switched to a 160 and it still did this, that means no difference besides a faster opening time and a slower creep to 200ish temps
Aslo there are plenty of people running no Tstat on the street. With Electric pumps and without electric pumps. We also live in Cali where there is no real winter here.
Efficient cooling cars will run near the temp of the Tstat, but ones that run hot, this is sort of a bandaid I believe I was told once to help hotter running cars.
