Hey everyone, I just got a hold of a thermostat that will kick my fan on at 160 degrees. My question is, where is the thermostat located? I looked for it and it is prob staring me in the face I just don't know what to look for!

Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Tony

 

follow your top radiator hose to where it connects to the engine.. thats ur thermostat housing, unbolt it, therm is under it

 

Just to be clear, are we talking about a round, disc-like object about an inch and a half diameter, or a cylindrical object about an inch long that has a wiring connector on the end?

 

the thermostat doesnt turn the fan on.. you know that right?

it just opens up at a certain temp to reduce warm up time in your car.

it also flows antifreeze at that temp through the radiator.

 

just some info....
thermostat alone won't kick your fans on at 160. the computer controls when to kick the fans on. you would need to get a chip to take advantage of a 160 thermostat. or.......you can just hook your fans up to a toggle switch. there are plenty of articles explaning how to do this. search the forums

 

uhh...the thermostat housing is elbow shaped and bolts onto the front of your intake manifold. there will be 2 bolts, and you have to take off your upper radiator hose.

 

this should help

 

hey TransAm, that pic looks like your tensioner for your serpetine belt is broke too? i broke mine trying to use a big *** srew driver to adjust it.


the car was stuck on the side of the road with a broken belt and i had no tools!!


if its not broke, then just ignore me. lol

 

I'm just covering the possibility that he's got a fan switch and calling it a thermostat. Technically that wouldn't be wrong, but it sure would confuse things.

 

yeah project-IROC that def broke lol my dad had to be mr tough guy and over due it opening up the tentioner...SNAP!! lol now i just jam a big *** screw driver in between it and budge it up to take off the belt..

still beats loosening up and altenator screw lol

i def thought that maybe he ment fan switch but he said 160 and I dont know of a fan switch that turns on at 160. maybe off at 160

 

That had to be one NASTY knuckle buster.

Quote:

i def thought that maybe he ment fan switch but he said 160 and I dont know of a fan switch that turns on at 160. maybe off at 160

Most fan switches are sold at the temp where they turn off.

I have a Hypertech "180*" switch. It actually turns the fan on ~200* and off ~185*. They call it a 180* switch because it's made to use with a 180* t-stat.

 

Yep I'll admit I thought the thermostat would keep my car from going over 160 degrees. So will the thermostat help any? Or no? Which is more cost effective to do? Get the chip (If so where can I get one?) Or should I just use a toggle switch like you suggested? If the chip is easy to do and not too pricey I would like to do that, but if not I will do the toggle switch idea. Will the thermostat help any though?

Thanks for any help!

Tony <--------newbie! :lala:

 

A thermostat would definitely help. It is basically a valve that lets coolant into the engine from the radiator when it reaches the specified temperature. If it opens at a lower temp, the cooler coolant from the radiator will flow into the engine sooner and attempt to keep it at that temperature. If the engine goes below the specified temp, the thermostat closes and the coolant in the engine cycles until it reaches the temp again. The reason a thermostat by itself can't control the temperature of the engine is because the fan determines the temperature of the coolant in the radiator (depending on your speed).

The fan switch is located in the passenger side head in between cylinders 6 and 8. It turns the fan on at a certain temp and turns it off at a certain temp. You can get different switches that open and close at different temperatures.

As far as I know, the computer doesn't control the fan on LG4's so a chip wouldn't do any good. I suggest you try a 160-degree thermostat first before you do anything to the fan and see what effects it has. A thermostat is about a couple of dollars max, whereas a fan switch can be between $30-$45. A toggle switch would be a PITA to operate constantly in my opinion.

 

flyway is right.

The t-stat keeps the engine warm. The fan/radiator keeps it from getting TOO warm.

Each component has to match the other. If your car is CC, then it will need to be reprogrammed, or an aftermarket chip must be used. The stock parameters in the ECM are set with the engine running between 195* F, and 220*F. If you get below that temp, the car won't run right. It will loose power and efficiency.

If you're going to change the fan switch, change the t-stat with it. Don't change just one.

 

i have a toggle switch and since by hanit i'm ALWAYS looking at the tempo i never forget to flip it plus now the car NEVER ghoes over 220!

 

Jet performance also sells a lower temp fan switch. If your having overheating problems start with the thermostat, cheapest easy fix and something that has a tendency to fail from time to time. I would flush and refill your radiator at this point also. If that doesn't fix the trick the next thing is just making sure your fans are coming on at the standard temperature probably 210-220 if your car is getting hotter than 225 and no fan is kicking on then check your relay, then fan switch and replace as needed. If you do all that and your still running hot look into your radiator and water pump. I replaced every one of these pieces in my car last year before I got it to cool down, after a new radiator, water pump, lower temp fan switch from JET, 170* thermostat, and replacing my relays my car runs about 175* freeway and 190-200 in the city.