Thermostat housing
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
Thermostat housing
Ok, I have a small issue. Bought my car a year ago stored it for the winter. When I went to get it back out again the thermostat was stuck. So I went down to the parts store bought a new thermostat w/ housing and installed it.
Drove down the road and realized my fans were always on. Turns out the thermostat the previous owner installed was a 160 and he had the fans reprogrammed.
So I went to the parts store and ordered just a 160 degree thermostat. Went home to install it to find out the thermostat I previously installed was fixed to the housing.
I called up all the parts stores in town and none of them had JUST the housing. Everything they had was a thermostat built into a housing. None of the parts stores had a housing w/ 160 thermostat either.
Unfortunately, I threw away the housing the car previously had. Does anybody know where I can get JUST the thermostat housing from?
Thanks!
Drove down the road and realized my fans were always on. Turns out the thermostat the previous owner installed was a 160 and he had the fans reprogrammed.
So I went to the parts store and ordered just a 160 degree thermostat. Went home to install it to find out the thermostat I previously installed was fixed to the housing.
I called up all the parts stores in town and none of them had JUST the housing. Everything they had was a thermostat built into a housing. None of the parts stores had a housing w/ 160 thermostat either.
Unfortunately, I threw away the housing the car previously had. Does anybody know where I can get JUST the thermostat housing from?
Thanks!
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 643
Likes: 2
From: Alexandria Northern Virginia
Its my understanding the 97-03's all are thermo built into the housing. The 2004's are like a normal engine (you can separate the two). I do not know if you can fit a 2004 neck onto an earlier water pump. Any one know if you can? If so, you could pay the General's price online and order a 04 one....
HTH man, sorry you have a problem. Its getting to be driving time!
Cassidy
HTH man, sorry you have a problem. Its getting to be driving time!
Cassidy
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
I don't have any troubles driving the car around as it. I just want to make sure the correct thermostat is installed so I don't wear out the fans.
Had a great time driving this weekend. Unfortunately, it started to snow and rain in the evening though. Made it in just in time. Interestingly though I got terrible traction on the cold but dry cement.
Had a great time driving this weekend. Unfortunately, it started to snow and rain in the evening though. Made it in just in time. Interestingly though I got terrible traction on the cold but dry cement.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
How did you get the thermostat out in that picture? I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to separate the two.
I think the issue may be the parts store sold me the wrong thermostat. If you can separate the two than that's all I need. Oh and a thermostat that actually fits in the housing
What year is your car?
I think the issue may be the parts store sold me the wrong thermostat. If you can separate the two than that's all I need. Oh and a thermostat that actually fits in the housing
What year is your car?
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
If you look at the first photo in the link, on the right side on the thermostat itself, there is a bar that you need to push down and then rotate to disassemble. If you push on any other part it won't come out.
Mine is an 02.
Mine is an 02.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
Well I finally installed the spacer and tested it out in boiling water. Seemed to open between 160-170 degrees F. I couldn't tell much closer cause I used a cooking thermometer only good to 10 degree increments.
I'm somewhat skeptical this will actually make my engine run cooler as effectively as just getting a 160 thermostat. However, I've had troubles finding a reasonably priced 160 thermostat for the 1999 vette setup so I suppose it's worth a try
I'm somewhat skeptical this will actually make my engine run cooler as effectively as just getting a 160 thermostat. However, I've had troubles finding a reasonably priced 160 thermostat for the 1999 vette setup so I suppose it's worth a try
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,798
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From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
Weiner
I got a question for you. Does the stat you bought without the housing resemble or fit the factory housing? They come apart and I never understood the need to sell me a new housing, except the need for greed.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,037
Likes: 9,801
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Running a stock thermo with the fans set at a lower temp will get the car to run at a lower temp (about 195 the stock thermo starts to open at 186). The 160 may or may not do much better as there is a certain amount of heat that has to be removed from the engine and the cooling system is the limiting factor not the thermo which is nothing but a switch. Since you are in Minnesota you may run into engine temp problems once you are driving in the fall. The coolant will be at 160 but the oil temp may be quite a bit cooler.
Bill
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 11
From: Powell TN
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Unfortunately you can't. The O-ring on the water neck for the 04 and up is a smaller diameter than the early style one-piece. It won't cover the recesses for the arms that hold the thermostat, that are made into the early style pump.
