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Expert
Posts: 1348
  
Location: Valley Forge, Pa. | I'm guessing my thermostat froze closed and my car super over heated like Old Faithful. Fortunately it was in my drive and I got to it quickly.
I haven't removed the thermo yet but regardless of what ever happened, I'm replacing it. I'll put it is hot water to see if it open out of curiosity.
I was thinking possibly water pump but as long as it is free, and turning and not leaking, what would fail in a water pump? If it were a bearing or something internal wouldn't it lock up?
It has to be really rare but I guess the impellor could come off?
In my Pontiac GTO, there was a thin metal flow deflector plate between the pump and housing that would rot and mess up the flow. The aftermarket replacement plate was stainless. Should have been from the factory.
Again, I going to replace the thermostat regardless of what else I do. Not even going to bother warming the engine first to see if it is the thermo. It's been in there for 60,000 miles. Then I'll warm her up and see if I've got flow.
I was wondering, the parts book shows a 160 and 180 thermostat. I believe newer motors run at hotter temps. What's the positives and negatives of 160 as apposed to 180? |
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Expert
Posts: 1740
Location: Alaska | Do you drive it in the winter? If so, would run a 180. Also when you drive your car it is best to drive it long enough to completely warm the engine so I would still run the 180 even in summer. |
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Expert
Posts: 3035
Location: N.W. Fla. | According to info published by Summit, cyl wall wear is 3X higher with a 160 vs a 180-195. Sludge would be reduced also, especially if you haven't converted it to use a PCV valve. |
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Veteran
Posts: 147
| Hi folks.
I still have the OE temp sensor in the block and run a 180f thermostat.
My temp gauge shows approx. 60% at normal warm operating temperature. So a little over the middle in the right area.
What do you think, is that ok or already too hot?
I think I read at some point in the OE specs that the pointer should be in the left area...(?) |
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Expert
Posts: 4043
Location: Connecticut | Thermostat sets optimum operating temperature for engine. So use a 180. If you find that your gauge is consistently at or above 3/4, then you could have a clogged radiator or a blockage in the coolant passages of your engine. Ron |
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Expert
Posts: 3400
Location: Chestertown, NY ( near Lake George) | Check temp at the sensor location, with a non contact laser thermometer. |
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Expert
Posts: 3778
Location: NorCal |
There's a common misconception that a 160 thermostat will maintain the coolant temperature at 160...this is true only if the cooling system has excessive capacity. In reality, the thermostat will open at 160 but the peak temperature will depend on the system's capacity to cool. |
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what temp thermostat
