Low-Temperature Thermostats Increases Mass Flow Rate of Intake Air Allows Engine to Cool Down to Lower Temperature than Factory Thermostats Reduces Engine's Tendency to Detonate Reduce Temperature of Both the Incoming Air/Fuel Mixture and Combustion Chamber Surface A Hypertech PowerStat low-temp thermostat improves performance in two ways: first by increasing the mass flow rate of intake air and second by reducing the engine's tendency to detonate. From the laws of physics, cooler air is denser than warmer air. Since horsepower increases as the amount of air and fuel burned increases, cooler air (with more air molecules per cubic inch) makes more power. The PowerStat allows the engine to cool down to a lower temperature than the factory thermostat to make more power. At the drags, water can be sprayed on the radiator between races to drop the temperature and improve performance, but the PowerStat ensures that you leave the line at the same temperature each run to give consistent maximum performance for bracket racing. Detonation, usually producing audible pinging or even knocking sounds, refers to the spontaneous explosion of the unburned air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. Detonation abruptly and violently ends the normal combustion process, reduces power, and can severely damage the engine. A PowerStat reduces the temperature of both the incoming air/fuel mixture and the surfaces of the combustion chamber, greatly reducing the tendency to detonate, and allows the engine to safely develop more horsepower.