Do they really flow more then the crappy two dollar ones. I think their official name is a MacPherson or somethign. Stewart recommends you get one with their water pumps. I have a Stewart stage one pump and a crappy two dollar stat. Do the other ones really flow more?

 

i don't see how it can hurt anything. its good insurance..

 

ttt

 

Some of the 'better' thermostats open smoother(instead of just open or shut) and help keep the engine temp more constant--which is good.

 

i would follow what they say and get a high flow one..

 

yeah i probably should right

 

The thermostats that Stewart reccomends are the RobertShaw thermostats. They use a different mechanism than your traditional spring-style 'stats that is generally accepted as more accurate, in addition to having higher flow characteristics due to a straigher flow path.
I've seen them at one of the auto parts places around here for about $8-10.
The ones that Stewart sells for their Stage II and III pumps comes with a couple of bypass holes drilled in it, as shown below. I run a 195* on my car, with a Stage II, and it runs at a rock-steady 200* all the time, no matter what weather conditions, slightly cooler on the highway, and still less than 220* on the race track

 

thats. the local autozone has them for <$10. i might drill a couple 1/8" holes in it. thanks
brady

 

dont buy one theyre a joke and awaste of your time and money i got three in a row and none of them worked not one and theyre suppoed to be the"failsafe" design the only gets stuck open right .............well,. all of mine got stuck closed..........biggest pos,s ive ever seen

 

i just bought two this weekend. they both would not open. biggest PITA and POSs. i wont buy one again...

 

Just buy a regular cheapy Stant thermostat and drill a couple off small holes in it. That's what my friend did with his car and it helped out alot. Mine's getting that done as soon as the weather starts to get hot again.

 

Stant is not a cheapie as you call it. They are the OE supplier to GM and a whole host of other manufacturers. The stock GM or a Stant replacement will work fine for any application. Considering the amount of Stant stats out there I would say they are pretty darn reliable. For TG's they have 160, 180 and 195 units in stock at most retail outlets.

 

I just bought a robertshaw thermostat, it was $6 but it doesn't look like the one in the picture it looks like the normal ones. It is called like generation II or something. I'm putting it in tomorrow, I went with that one cause it was the only thermostat they had in stock to fit... but I will be drilling acouple 1/8 holes in it tomorrow before it goes in.

 

Oh yeah and I went with a 195 degree stat

 

thats the one i got
i got two of em neither opened

keep an eye on your temp and dont drill holes you might need to return it

 

Is there a way to test it before going through the hassle of putting it in??

 

I just put it in some boiling water and used a thermometer, did it a few times just to make sure. That should be enough right?

 

up to you man, i put mine in water and i didnt see it open, then i took a 'stat that i knew worked right and put it in boiling water and it looked like it didnt open either (but i am 100% sure it works correctly)

 

we'll see how it goes, I have to wait till tomorrow to get some gasket remover. It was funny I got the thermostat housing opened and to my surprise there was thermostat in my car! Oh well I guess thats why it never heated up.

 

I installed one of those high dollar thermostats in my camaro an firebird as well as everything else an never had a problem outa anyone of them.
One question, why go w/ the 195deg????? way to hot.
the whole point is to reduce eng temp an increase power.
I went w/ the 180 w/o affecting my computer,the car runs great.

 

I got a 195 to be safe...there has been way too many posts arguing what is better and there doesn't seem like there is a definate answer. I don't have a chip and don't plan on getting one anytime soon so I didn't think that going with a lower thermostat would help me out, thats all. There are tons of posts about what should be the temp. And I have no performance mods so I really didn't care, I'm just getting frustrated with my car and want to get everything fixed before i think about anythign else.

 

well i can add to the negative response of "high-flow" stats... had one in my '91 TPI, stuck the whole time, after i replaced the previous brand new one for doing the same thing. put a stock gm 195* and all is well. running a stewart hi-flow pump, too. temp stays around 170, according to the dash gage, but i have a 200 on/185 off switch installed as well...

KAM