thermostat replacement questions (NOT about snap ring!!)
09-11-2002, 04:00 PM
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thermostat replacement questions (NOT about snap ring!!)
well my car has been running really hot all summer. i'm hoping that it has something to do with the leaking oil cooler seals that the car came with... maybe old oil is clogging up my thermostat reducing flow to the radiator... or maybe the radiator is all gunked up with oil?
my questions:
how hard is it to take out the radiator?
should both thermostats be replaced together?
what kind of seals should i get for doing a tstat replacement? the dealer said there is a "thin" one and a "thick" one, supposedly for "bored out" water pumps. PET shows 2 seals, one between the snap ring and tstat, and one between the tstat and housing. was the dealer talking about the latter? do i need the former?
what is the consensus on low-temp (71degC) tstats? good idea? bad idea?
anything else i'm not thinking of?
thanks!!!
my questions:
how hard is it to take out the radiator?
should both thermostats be replaced together?
what kind of seals should i get for doing a tstat replacement? the dealer said there is a "thin" one and a "thick" one, supposedly for "bored out" water pumps. PET shows 2 seals, one between the snap ring and tstat, and one between the tstat and housing. was the dealer talking about the latter? do i need the former?
what is the consensus on low-temp (71degC) tstats? good idea? bad idea?
anything else i'm not thinking of?
thanks!!!
09-11-2002, 04:17 PM
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71C is 150 F, I have a 160 in mine and never see higher than the 1st white line on the gauge, and still get HOT heat in the winter.
Before with a 92C tstat. the needle would regularly visit the last field, even in the winter.
Also get a low temp. fan switch.
A side benefit for me was higher oil psi. and no oil consumption now.
Before with a 92C tstat. the needle would regularly visit the last field, even in the winter.
Also get a low temp. fan switch.
A side benefit for me was higher oil psi. and no oil consumption now.
09-11-2002, 04:29 PM
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hmmm... the guy i spoke with at zimms said that the stock one was 80c and the low temp one was 71c...
is the stock tstat really 92c?? that seems pretty hot!
is the stock tstat really 92c?? that seems pretty hot!
09-11-2002, 04:34 PM
#4
Race Car
Ben, definitely remove the radiator and flush it...a LOT. It's easy to take out, just unplug the two fan motors, remove the fan shroud [six 10mm screws], and then drain the coolant. Remove all the coolant hoses, unplug the temp switch, and pull the radiator out from above...it just rests on two rubber mounts at the bottom and is held in by the coolant hoses and little clips on top [if you have those]. Replace the fan temperature switch on the radiator while it's out, and you'll have plenty of room to access the thermostat in the waterpump. Good luck!
09-11-2002, 04:39 PM
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Just to add my $0.02, On the '87 and up you may have to loosen the oil cooler mount bolts because the hard line from the oil cooler runs along the engine side of the radiator, making it difficult to remove and re-insert the rad.
R.B.
R.B.
09-11-2002, 04:45 PM
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I got my tstat. at O'Reilly's. I wanted to do it that day. It was a Stant p/n 13376.
The low temp. switch was from Zim's, p/n 951.606.481.00.cool-handwritten on box
The low temp. switch was from Zim's, p/n 951.606.481.00.cool-handwritten on box
09-11-2002, 05:20 PM
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is there any way to tell by looking at the fan switch if it is the low-temp one?
i have heard a lot of you talking about replacing the main thermostat, but never the little turbo one... should i do that too while i'm in there?
i have heard a lot of you talking about replacing the main thermostat, but never the little turbo one... should i do that too while i'm in there?
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09-11-2002, 05:33 PM
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I kept my old good normal switch,it has some #'s in the brass wrench side.
92 87
102 97
I assume the #'s on the left are the high-low/on-off temps.
I don't have a turbo but you woukd think that you should change both, I couldn't see having 2 different temp. tstats. in there. Just my .02.
If nobody answers that ? I would call Zim's and ask them, they have always been helpful when I've called. They also do service so they should know.
92 87
102 97
I assume the #'s on the left are the high-low/on-off temps.
I don't have a turbo but you woukd think that you should change both, I couldn't see having 2 different temp. tstats. in there. Just my .02.
If nobody answers that ? I would call Zim's and ask them, they have always been helpful when I've called. They also do service so they should know.
09-12-2002, 01:16 AM
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About the thermostat seals:
There is a thin rubber seal that slips over the rim of the thermostat. If you look at it closely, there is a groove on the inside of the seal, you'll see how it fits.
There is also a thin metal spacer that goes between the thermostat and the snap ring, if I remember correctly.
There is also a seal in the waterpump that the thermostat contacts when it opens. I doubt you'll have to replace this.
Finally, I've tried lots of snap ring pliers - none worked except the SnapOn pliers. They cost about $30. I would have saved money if I had bought them first, instead of buying two pairs of the cheaper pliers which didn't work.
There is a thin rubber seal that slips over the rim of the thermostat. If you look at it closely, there is a groove on the inside of the seal, you'll see how it fits.
There is also a thin metal spacer that goes between the thermostat and the snap ring, if I remember correctly.
There is also a seal in the waterpump that the thermostat contacts when it opens. I doubt you'll have to replace this.
Finally, I've tried lots of snap ring pliers - none worked except the SnapOn pliers. They cost about $30. I would have saved money if I had bought them first, instead of buying two pairs of the cheaper pliers which didn't work.
09-12-2002, 03:37 AM
#12
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Remember that the thermostat only determines the low-end of your cooling system's operating range. It restricts water-flow out of the engine at that temperature and lower ONLY!. This only affects warm-up time when engine-coolant is below the thermostat's opening-temp. Once your coolant reaches the thermostat's opening temp, ALL thermostats of that temperature and lower operate exactly the same. Given that the coolant's operating temperature is around 200-220 degrees-F, ALL thermostats, be they 92C, 80C, 71C will be flowing exactly the same amount of water when the car's warmed up because they ALL will be open fully. Now if you've got a defective thermostat that doesn't open fully, the problem is in the thermostat itself and not the temperature-rating at which it opens.
Therefore, no thermostat regardless of temp-rating will affect how high your temperatures reaches (unless it's defective or clogged). Maximum temperature is simply a balancing function of how much heat your radiator can shed in a given amount of time vs. how much your engine is generating. So if your car's running hot, I'd flush out the radiator and get a lower-temp thermoswitch for the fans. Now THAT will make a difference in what the maximum temperature your cooling system reaches.
Therefore, no thermostat regardless of temp-rating will affect how high your temperatures reaches (unless it's defective or clogged). Maximum temperature is simply a balancing function of how much heat your radiator can shed in a given amount of time vs. how much your engine is generating. So if your car's running hot, I'd flush out the radiator and get a lower-temp thermoswitch for the fans. Now THAT will make a difference in what the maximum temperature your cooling system reaches.
