well this tomorrow im taking my car to a repair shop to get it proffesionally flushed, the inside of the radiator is very rusted and is almost out of antifreeze, now my question is, when i do this tomorrow i may as well replace the thermostate with a better one, what is the deal with using a 160 degree thermostate? what will it do for my car, is there anything else i have to change in order to do this? Ovrclock350 has recommended that i use a 180 degree thermostate instead of the 160, what do you guys think? wich one should i use and will i have to change anything else in oerder to use these thermostates, thanks.

 

IF your current one works fine, leave it.
OR have it media blasted at the repair shop, oil it, reinstall it.
Don't laugh, I did this to my 211,500 mile S-10 Blazer one.
It works just fine. I also believe it may even be original. I never changed it and I've owned this truck since 1989.
THAT SAID, I would invest in new screw clamps for the heater hoses, and new upper and lower radiator hoses.
That junction hose set up item in teh front of the engine, have him pressure test it. When I did my swap, it leaked. Cost $5 to weld it fixed. And I also got those preformed hoses at the dealer, too.
NOW
IF YOU HAVE A BRASS RADIATOR, you have the wrong one. The V-6 are aluminum and plastic tank sides.
Expect bad news. I had my brass radiator repaired about 4 times. It works, but, I do need an aluminum one, one day. And it's lighter.

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

thanks for the info, ill check it out, so all that a lower degree thermostate would do is keep my engien cooler? thats it??? or would i benefit at all from this switch performance wise?

[This message has been edited by 87_Camaro (edited August 09, 2001).]

 

180 degree

 

180. 160 is too cold and often times leaves your ECM running in closed loop (where it pays no attention to any sensors "Warm-Up" mode). 180 allows the engine to go into open loop (pays attention to sensors) and thus allowing for your ECM to provide you with the advantages the chip you're planning on buying provides. You'll save gas too. I gained 5mpg alone just by changing my thermostat.

 

Eh, I disagree- in warm weather. In the summer, with my 160 'stat, my temp gauge reads near 190 degrees- closed loop. In winter, that's a different story, and I go back to a stock 195 degree thermostat- but I'm in NJ. If you're in a year-round hot state, you could leave a 160 in... but if you don't want to change thermostats like I do, the 180's the better choice.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Hey man, I live in Tucson too. I ran a 180 stat and my car runs SOOOO much cooler now!
And now I get like 21 mpg in the city! I used to get like 16 or 17. I highly recomend the 180 stat in hot as crap tucson.

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1992 RS 3.1L Bone Stock

"Yeah, it's a V6 SO WHAT!?"

 

thanks guys, im going with 180 all the way.

 

Let us know what part number & brand ya use.
THANKS!
PS I DO NOT recommend my media blasting the part method for most of us, including my own daily driver Firebird.
If you have to save bucks, my media blast method works fine, tho.

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA