160 Thermostat with stock program question

Just getting through with some maintenance:
Flush cooling system, engine and heater core due to no heat.
Replaced hoses with Goodyear silicone hoses from summit (replaced original hoses with 164,000 mis)
By passed TB, New Coolant tank with single nipple as service replacement part.
Converting to Electric fans.

Put it all back together with the stock thermostat and there is little to no flow when engine is warmed up. Bled the system, still the same. Hoses do not have any pressure, I can squeeze the upper and lower radiator hoses and there is no pressure. I know it runs at a lower pressure than older systems but, I cannot feel ANYTHING moving through; hot or cold. (think kinking a garden hose with the water on then with water off) . The coolant tank gets warm and builds pressure.

-UPPER RAD hose gets hot
-LOWER RAD hose just gets warm
-HEATER hoses get REAL HOT!!
-There is now PLEANTY of heat inside though.

The secondary fan keeps coming on but the gauge is a little less than 1/2. (No primary fan as yet. Waiting on a fan bracket to mount it) I am thinking the thermostat may be roached and is not opening thereby preventing any flow to the Radiator; but flowing everywhere else. ie. Heater core, back of head to coolant bottle etc.

Question is, I have a Hypertech 160 thermostat I want to put in but I have to wait three weeks to afford the software to reprogram the computer. Since this will open sooner and run cooler than the stock one, is there any problem with leaving the STOCK program for a few weeks until I can afford TUNER CAT? I know it might not go into closed loop mode but is that a bad thing?

Please let me know before I change it and screw something up. The more I read about the LT1 cooling system path, the more I'm convinced it uses some kind of voodoo to get its job done.

I would say you have a bad thermostat and or clogged heater core. I would flush the heater core, and put in a new stat 180 degree thermostat.

Bill

Finally took my Managerial Finance final and can now get back to more important things; like fixing the wagon.

I got the fans and brackets installed today. Wired in with innovative wiring harness and the coolant topped off and bled. Also swapped out the stock thermostat for a 160 I had.

Cooling problems solved!!!!!! No more overheating and the hoses both felt close to the same temp and had some pressure. The 180 Thermostat was the culprit.

Car runs cooler on the street. Under normal driving, the gauge read on 1/4 of the way off cold. With the 180, it ran at 1/2. I had to let it idle in the driveway for almost 20 mins to get it to go past 3/4 then the primary fan kicked on and brought it down to just under 1/2. Turned on the A/C and it came all the way down to 1/4 again.

I also unplugged the front coolant sensor and the primary fan came on then 30 seconds later, the secondary fan cam on. Reconnected the sensor and both shut off.

All of this with the STOCK program in the computer. I will be reprogramming as soon as I can afford the tuner cat software. But, for now, everything is good.