Thermostats - -
April 15th, 2011, 12:21 PM
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Shorewood, Il.
Posts: 3,057
Thermostats - -
Guess this'd be more for the newer cars with converters, but some don't know the difference:
Bought a '86 Grand Prix, corporate LG-4 305, new.
At 16,000 miles, pulled into the garage, and heard it 'percolating' immediatly. Turned it back on, and the guage was pegged!
Came back a couple hours later, and the only thermostat I had was a 180.
Installed that - no more overheating.
Illinois was doing bi-yearly polution checks at the time, and I was due, so I took it in, figured if it failed, I'd put a 195 back in.
Well it passed, with about 40% of the passing numbers!!
Not only ran cleaner, picked up 5 MPG, ran much better, seemed more 350-ish all the way around!
Since I had some other warrantee issues, I asked the service manager at Pontiac if it woud effect the warrantee - he had a factory rep there who told me; 'the only reason for 195 thermostats is to 'light-off' the converters on short trips, so they get hot enough to do their jobs. Should you have a converter problem, it could void the warrantee".
Well, being I never drove less than 10 miles at a time, and changing back would be a PIA and kill mileage and performance, I left the 180 in there!
Sold the GP with 225k miles, the buyer thought I was lying about the miles, as it was still tight and ran like new!
Only things changed were:
200r4 for 700r4 @ 120k
Timing chain + water pump @ 85K
Tune-ups every 75k
Normal oil changes
Never had the valve covers off!
Just passing-on 'things that worked for me' with gas over $4 a gallon!
Bought a '86 Grand Prix, corporate LG-4 305, new.
At 16,000 miles, pulled into the garage, and heard it 'percolating' immediatly. Turned it back on, and the guage was pegged!
Came back a couple hours later, and the only thermostat I had was a 180.
Installed that - no more overheating.
Illinois was doing bi-yearly polution checks at the time, and I was due, so I took it in, figured if it failed, I'd put a 195 back in.
Well it passed, with about 40% of the passing numbers!!
Not only ran cleaner, picked up 5 MPG, ran much better, seemed more 350-ish all the way around!
Since I had some other warrantee issues, I asked the service manager at Pontiac if it woud effect the warrantee - he had a factory rep there who told me; 'the only reason for 195 thermostats is to 'light-off' the converters on short trips, so they get hot enough to do their jobs. Should you have a converter problem, it could void the warrantee".
Well, being I never drove less than 10 miles at a time, and changing back would be a PIA and kill mileage and performance, I left the 180 in there!
Sold the GP with 225k miles, the buyer thought I was lying about the miles, as it was still tight and ran like new!
Only things changed were:
200r4 for 700r4 @ 120k
Timing chain + water pump @ 85K
Tune-ups every 75k
Normal oil changes
Never had the valve covers off!
Just passing-on 'things that worked for me' with gas over $4 a gallon!
April 18th, 2011, 05:21 PM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Shorewood, Il.
Posts: 3,057
Funny you should say that.
Why, then, did all the aftermarket computer chip manufacturers recommend a 160 degree thermostat and premium unleaded to take advantage of their timing curves?
At the same time saying their product wouldn't effect factory warrantees?
Ask the Grand National boys!
I know it worked for me - -
Why, then, did all the aftermarket computer chip manufacturers recommend a 160 degree thermostat and premium unleaded to take advantage of their timing curves?
At the same time saying their product wouldn't effect factory warrantees?
Ask the Grand National boys!
I know it worked for me - -
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