I have a 92 Z with the 305 TPI. I need to replace the thermostat. But I have never attempted to do something like this before. Can anyone provide me with some guidance? I believe I have located where the thermostat is located. Also I have a 180 replacement, should I use a 195 instead? Thanks for any help.

 

As you are looking at the car it should be under the water neck to the right of the manifold. There may be a hose running from the radiator to the water neck. Just unbolt it, take the old one out and put the new gasket in and the thermostat and bolt it back up.

 

you don't need to drain any coolant, but to save a mess you should probably clamp the hose some, just don't put too much force on it (use a sheet of wood or something to distribute the force of the clamp)

 

Just remember that when you are putting it back together that the thermostat sits in the little dish on the intake, then the gasket, then the housing. My thermostat came with instructions that told me to put the gasket on the mafifold then place the thermostat over it, then place the housing. Well I thought it wouldn't work, but followed the instructions, and yup....it didn't work. Started leaking.

I also used a little sealer on the gasket itself.

Also, does anyone know what to torque the housing bolts to?

RMK

 

The torque is hand tight with a 3/8 ratchet is fine. Just make sure you clean all the old gasket off or you may have a pisser.

 

and stick a clean paper towel into the hole so while you're scraping off old gasket (razor blade or flat screwdrivers are fine) it doesn't fall into the cooling system.

 

Oh, yeah,

For the love of G0D, spray some Break-Out, JB-80, 3-n-1 or any kind of penatrating oil (even WD-40) on the thermostat bolts before you try to remove them. You really don't want to break one of the housing bolts. The steel bolts tend to galvanize themselves to the aluminum manifold, and sieze.

 

Yeah, it really sucks when your half hour t-stat job turns into taking hours because you broke a bolt in the manifold!!

 

or when it takes a torch and tons of drilling because the previous idiot that owned the car took out the thermostat and EPOXIED THE BOLTS IN...

 

one other thing, you may have to reove the throttle body to get to the bolts. This is simple, just remove the 4 front bolts and pop the tb off. Be careful not to screw up the gasket and you can reuse it(I have not messed up one yet, knock on wood). While you are at it, you could do the Coolent bypass while you are at it.

 

you might as well use the 180 because you already bought it.

 

you really shouldn't need to remove the TB. one bolt should be easy to get with an extension, the other you might need an open-ended wrench though if the clearance is too tight. or try a small socket on a 1/4" ratchet if you can get it in there.

 

Does anyone know the torque specs???????? Has anyone warmed the engine to help free the bolts?