Mouthpiece

Living in New Orleans, where it is hot most of the year, I am considering replacing the thermostat on my 944, from the OE 187/192 degree thermostat, to a low-temperature 160 degree thermostat. It is always a little nerve wracking, especially with the AC on, to watch the temp gauge keep going up and wondering when the thermostat is going to open.

It seems like a good idea from a logical standpoint. I was wondering if anyone else has any experience with this and was it a good idea. Does anyone know of any reasons offhand that I should not change the thermostat? Thanks.

Matt O.

Yep, definitely. I've heard people go on about how it wears down your fans...

Fans are $35 each from PartsHeaven. An engine is as you might expect alot more.

Also, if you want to really run your engine cool, get a new radiator (not used). Even better, I've heard getting the 951 radiator for the 944 NA helps cooling even more (although I have not done this).

The radiator gets clogged up over the many years. Mine was leaking so it was a moot point, but I'm not even sure if you could clean the used one enough to get the performance you'd get from a new one.

Got mine from Paragon Products!

-Matt

F18Rep

Well yes I believe there is a very good reason not to do this although my reference for this is not Porsche. I bought a book once called Hotrodding the Big Block Chevrelet. It is really quite a technical book and this subject comes up in the first chapter or so. The author goes to some length (charts, graphs and everything) to prove how even a small downward change to the average operating temperature of an engine accelerates wear dramatically. I'm not nearly so knowledgable or convincing as the author but you might think about it from that perspective.
And BTW, I kinda miss nawlins...Bruce

Jay W

Changed to the lower temp thermostat 2 years ago and the gauge runs almost at the middle all the time. I feel a whole lot better and the car rarely runs colder than the midpoint on the gauge (after warmup). As far as clogging radiator possibilities causing high water temps, I bought my 87 924 with 26,000 miles and it was running at 3/4 to the redline all the time at that mileage (very unlikely the system could have been clogged already). I didnt bother with the lower temp fan switch and besides the cooling fans dont run all the time now anyway so they are'nt going to wear out either.

The DareDevil

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by F18Rep:
<strong>Well yes I believe there is a very good reason not to do this although my reference for this is not Porsche. I bought a book once called Hotrodding the Big Block Chevrelet. It is really quite a technical book and this subject comes up in the first chapter or so. The author goes to some length (charts, graphs and everything) to prove how even a small downward change to the average operating temperature of an engine accelerates wear dramatically. I'm not nearly so knowledgable or convincing as the author but you might think about it from that perspective.
And BTW, I kinda miss nawlins...Bruce</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">That is absolutely true; I don’t go below 180.

ringo951

Terry,
I don't know if I have the stock thermostat or not, but I don't think it is anything special. My temp guage rides below the middle level all times of the year, in traffic with A/C on full. Make sure it is not something else, like the radiator. Good to see a few other guys from down this way on the board. good luck.. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

951Tom

160F is too low. Gas mileage will suffer as the computer will think it's not fully warmed up and richen the mixture. I use a 180F thermostat and a stock temp fan switch of 192F. My fans ran all the time with a low temp switch even on the highway. Now the fans cycle on/off properly & the needle is always around the first bar unless I'm stopped.

The worst would be a low temp fan switch and a stock temp thermostat. Your fans would run all the time until you stopped.

Z-man

If you are going to get the lower thermostat, make sure to get the corresponding lower temp fan switches as well.

Just because the thermo opens up at 160, it doesn't mean that the engine will be running that cool: it will just circulate the coolant sooner.

IMHO, the lower temp thermo and switches are a must for track driven cars: the sooner you get cooling the better.

I've had the lower temp thermo and switches on my car for over a year, and have NEVER experienced any issues with running richer, or engine detonation...yadda yadda stuff.

Also: it is very, very important to flush your coolant out every 3-4 years: after time, the chemicals in the coolant will break down and start literally eating away at your aluminum engine block.

Just my $0.42
-Z.

PCinDC

Ringo951 - Your late model car has a different dash gauge for temperature than the 924 or early 944's. 2 bar for you is 3 bar on the early dash. 3 bar on the early cars is normal operating temperature. Fans coming on sooner does not increase the actual cooling capacity of the car.

Devia

I would suggest flushing the radiator every 2 years, not 3-4.

My '85 944 temp gauge always ran 1/4 of the way up, never half.

- Julie