Warm oil in a cool engine was the old racer's maxim. But that was a long time ago.
The tune could have a lot to do with which temp your engine seems to prefer. There is more wear at 160* than at 180* if that matters in this case. 180* is a very good operating temp for our engines as far as wear. You may try experimenting with the carb fuel rations to see if you can find that extra performance at 180* that you have at 160*.
And then little things like incoming air and fuel temps may also be at play. Does either temp come up with the engine temp? Timing and octane needs may also come into play as the temp changes. Can you solidly maintain 180* or does it tend to creep up? And don't forget to consider the ambient air, too. Lots of pieces to the puzzle that should be considered.
The only way you will know what YOUR combo likes is to experiment.
My street/strip cars show no performance gain at 160*. But I have them tuned for 180* and they can maintain that temp in most conditions.
I have experimented with 180* T Stats. As I said, MY CAR, runs better with a 160* Stat. My car is mostly street driven. With the hottest days of summer, my engine temp never goes above 165*. I was just curious as to what others have had experience with different temps.
