stolarzj

Looking for some tips on removing the t-stat and question on it. In the pic below there is a angled piece of metal at the bottom of the neck of the water pump, is that normal? The problem I'm having is the car started to boil over while it was idling in the garage, I loosened up the breather, and started diagnosing, I found the radiator to be stone cold and the hoses to hot to touch. The water pump was recently replaced by a Porsche dealer by the previous owner, it's still shiny silver. I don't have the receipts on me right now to check on the date. So I'm guessing at either stuck t-stat or the pump went bad. I figured I could remove it and at least test it, or see how it runs without it in there.

I just finished up with wrenching on it since Sunday replacing all the suspension pieces, ball joints, struts/shocks, bushings, power steering reservoir, and a bunch other things. Now this..

It's an 86 944, around 150k miles.

Legoland951

Uh, that doesn't look like a thermostat to me. Did it come apart and get stuck in there?

stolarzj

I didn't think that looked normal either, but I haven't dug into a thermostat before. I could only get my fingers in there and it was hot, but it felt solid, so I figured I'd ask the experts on what that is. That pic is looking down from the top of the water pump.

Mike C.

That doesn't look normal to me. See if you can get a better look with one of those little mechanic's mirrors. It's possible it was not correctly installed.

stolarzj

It's still hot and my mirror was fogging up, I need to let it cool a little.

stolarzj

Ok, it's cooled off some and managed to pull that piece out. It's a large washer, about a 1.5" wide, any idea where this came from? Part of the T-Stat? I can stick my finger all the way back in there and it's wide open, I can feel the o-ring, guessing the t-stat should be there.

ArcticSteve

Too weird What does the other side of that washer look like? I don't get how it would just be sitting in there. I don't get how the o ring would be still in place without the thermostat in there to hold it.

I'd remove the lower rad hose and see if the thermostat is sitting in there along with the steel clip.

I hate those thermostats/placement.

FRporscheman

WTH???

Well whatever the history, what you need to do now is buy a thermostat, thermostat gasket, thermostat circlip, and maybe a thermostat shim depending on water pump type and thermostat type.

And like Steve said, I'd check inside the hose in case something fell in there.

stolarzj

I checked the hose and didn't find anything in there. Anyone familiar with the backside of the water pump think that washer could come from there? My only guess is the dealership forgot to put a t-stat in there, or it was purposely not put in there at the request of the owner. I'm concerned about the water pump mostly now, not sure if it is damaged, or this washer is part of it. I don't want to put it back together and have the water pump seize up or blow apart and taking out the t-belt. I'm tempted to put the hose back on and fill it back up and see if the pump is pumping water now though.

CurtP

I'm betting a PO installed it as a restrictor plate in place of the thermostat. It's an old rodder's trick. Probably had it pressed-fit in there thinking it wouldn't go anywhere.

stolarzj

What would be the need to restrict the flow, to make it run warmer? I don't think I ever met a 944 that needed to run warmer. The odd part the last time the system was opened up was for the water pump by a Porsche dealership. The owner was apparently good friends with the dealship though, good enough to have them do all his work at parts cost only.

krystar

he's prob got the thermostat stuck open.

stolarzj

There is no t-stat in there, just a sideways washer...

F18Rep

You don't still believe that now do you? ....Bruce

stolarzj

I do.. There are recipts for it, and the only person that could work on a Porsche in that area is the dealer.