I want to change the thermostat next time i change the coolant, but the damn thing is located under the throttle body. I am somewhat hesitant to just pull it off. I would like some advice on doing this. i am also curious as to whether the car can start with the throttle body off. (to run the engine to help drain the coolant) Also, where is the engine drain plug for the coolant?

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86 IROC TPI
No mods to date = not enough experience = looking for help

 

If you have the right tools you dont HAVE to take off the TB to get to the water neck bolts. It's a lot easier to just takeit off though. IF you do decide to take it off, all you're gonna need is a 10 mm socket. There's four screws in the corners. Then, you have the linkage on the driver's side and the TPS and IAC to disconnect on the passanger side. You might have an EGR tube right underneath it to disconnect also.

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92 Z28 L98 350
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Ported stock heads, XR270HR-10 cam, TES headers, Crane AFPR, Flowmaster catback, MSD ignition components.
Best ET 13.5@105 mph
"Take that auto, drop it in first, hold the brakes, stomp the gas and grin from ear to ear! :-)
Click here to see my car at Truspeed.org

Check out TruSpeed at http://www.truspeed.org
Check out the Bin Archive at http://www.truspeed.org/bins.html

 

Do i have to worry about fuel leaking out?

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86 IROC TPI
No mods to date = not enough experience = looking for help

 

Nope, no gas is going to come out. You might be able to just unbolt the throttle body and scoot it out of the way without unplugging anything from it. But if you do, watch the little vacuum line for the EGR, it breaks pretty easy. It's on the underside of the throttle body, on the driver side.


[This message has been edited by ViciousZ (edited December 27, 2000).]

 

Your going to have to take off the TB collant lines

 

If you do decide to take the throtle body off
it would be a good time to clean out the IAC
passages.Just cleaned mine,could'nt believe
all the carbon in there.Really helps when setting the IAC.

 

it's easier to unbolt the TB than work around it.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd

 

Agreed. And when you do it, you'll think to yourself, "Damn, it's really not that bad!"



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IROC-Zone - Coming Soon!
The Camaro Shrine
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'88 Camaro IROC-Z 350 TPI
'98 Grand Prix GTP 3.8L SC

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of rice,
I shall fear no Turbo; for Torque art with me."
- Cullan Hooley

[This message has been edited by Allan (edited December 29, 2000).]

 

I didn't pull off the TB when I did my thermostat change, it was quite simple acctully. There is a drain plug on the lower right side of the radiatorl, you just take a wrench and turn it about 1.5 turns and the coolant will drain right out.

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1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission with 2.77:1 Rear End

Current Mods: Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker 3" Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Performance Resource Chip with 160* Thermostat, Accel Ignition Coil, Cap, Rotor, 8.8mm Wires, K&N Filters, JET TPI Air Foil, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET : 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

Next on the list: LT4 HOT Cam

 

I believe joeIROC's wanted to know where the drain plug was for the ENGINE....NOT the radiator!! Joe, find your temperature sending unit on the side of the block and take it out....the fluid inside the block with gush out onto the ground! Also, unless you really WANT to take the TB off to clean it, you don't need to in order to change the thermostat.....you may have to detach the little hose going from the water pump to the throttle body to get to the bolt but don't mess with taking the TB off unless you REALLY want too! IF you take the TB off, you'll most likely have to buy a new TB gasket as well! It's up to you and if you don't mind doing it, I guarantee the TB could use a good cleaning! Buy about 3 cans of Carb cleaner and spray down the back side of the TB....you'll see how bad it is when you take it off! Mine was horrible!

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1986 Trans AM
305 TPI
Completely Stock
Soon to upgrade to a 327 TPI with pocket ported 64CC heads, comp cam, TPI air foil, Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator, possibly bigger injectors!
Current project: Keeping my car running until I get the money for the above mentioned project! :-)

 

Do the tb bypass and then it's so easy to take off the tb. I usually have it off in less than 5 minutes. four bolts, tps, iac, three vacuum lines, three cables - off

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89 Iroc-Z LB9 305 TPI auto 2.73 posi:
3" Dynomax "cat" back,K&N filters, TB bypass, 3" pipe in place of cat, cleaned and flow-matched injectors, 180' thermo, mild ignition mods, synthetic oil, kicker sound system, soon to attempt engine swap...