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stock 98 thermostat?

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Old Mar 6, 2012 | 10:20 PM
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Default stock 98 thermostat?

wondering what' s the stock temperature thermostat for my 98, 6 spd.
Thanks
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Old Mar 6, 2012 | 11:24 PM
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I've never seen an official number but all C5 stats are about 178 degrees.
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Old Mar 7, 2012 | 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by lionelhutz
I've never seen an official number but all C5 stats are about 178 degrees.
I don't believe this is correct my 98 came with a 195* thermostat and I installed a 178* when I put the blower on.
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Old Mar 7, 2012 | 02:50 PM
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195*
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Old Mar 7, 2012 | 05:50 PM
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Originally Posted by tblu92
195*
thanx!

After digging the whole night and whole day found out that there are 2 types of stock thermostats that came with C5's because there are 2 types of water pumps installed after 1998. The number on the waterpump should decide what type of thermostat to use. They are NOT interchangeable thank God. The newer kind thermostates have 2 numbers stamped on them 86/100C which translates 186/212F
Thats that mean that it is a 186F thermostat? The old type does not have anything stamped on it.
GM really is not precise on anything so 195 number should be anyones wild guess?
To mention both types have the thermostat built in housing so you buy housing w thermostat.
Can anyone come forward with proof of the stock thermostat for a '98?

Last edited by 2blklt4; Mar 7, 2012 at 05:53 PM.
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Old Mar 7, 2012 | 07:07 PM
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Those numbers might mean it will start to open at 186 and be fully open at 212.

The older C5 thermostat is not a 195 degree thermostat. It starts to open around 178 give or take. There was another thread where 2 members confirmed this opening temp via testing. It opens enough to start regulating the engine temp when it hits the 190-200 degree range.

In a similar vein, the 160 degree thermostat doesn't run your engine at 160 degrees. It starts to open at 160 degrees. Your engine will run around 175-185 degrees.

These things aren't an open/closed switch. They are a linear device and the amount they open varies with the temperature.

Why do you need the stock temp so badly anyways?

Originally Posted by corvettebob1
I don't believe this is correct my 98 came with a 195* thermostat and I installed a 178* when I put the blower on.
My guess would be that you installed a 160 degree stat. If you installed a 178 degree stat then you'd be running in the 190's on the streets.

Peter

Last edited by lionelhutz; Mar 7, 2012 at 07:09 PM.
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Old Mar 7, 2012 | 07:21 PM
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Originally Posted by lionelhutz
Those numbers might mean it will start to open at 186 and be fully open at 212.

The older C5 thermostat is not a 195 degree thermostat. It starts to open around 178 give or take. There was another thread where 2 members confirmed this opening temp via testing. It opens enough to start regulating the engine temp when it hits the 190-200 degree range.

In a similar vein, the 160 degree thermostat doesn't run your engine at 160 degrees. It starts to open at 160 degrees. Your engine will run around 175-185 degrees.

These things aren't an open/closed switch. They are a linear device and the amount they open varies with the temperature.

Why do you need the stock temp so badly anyways?



My guess would be that you installed a 160 degree stat. If you installed a 178 degree stat then you'd be running in the 190's on the streets.

Peter
what do you mean by "the older c5 thermostat? what years?
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Old Mar 7, 2012 | 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by 2blklt4
what do you mean by "the older c5 thermostat? what years?
Crap, I meant all C5's. Everyone posts about their cars all running the same temperatures, around mid 190 on highway and then higher in town (due to lower air flow through the rad until the fans kick in).
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Old Mar 7, 2012 | 11:23 PM
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Originally Posted by lionelhutz
Crap, I meant all C5's. Everyone posts about their cars all running the same temperatures, around mid 190 on highway and then higher in town (due to lower air flow through the rad until the fans kick in).
in 5th gear at 75mph 60 F outside I get 196-199F but in 6th gear same speed same road conditions I get 205-208F...I only wish people would answer my question if this is normal temperatures.

Last edited by 2blklt4; Mar 7, 2012 at 11:40 PM.
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Old Mar 8, 2012 | 12:15 AM
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Originally Posted by 2blklt4
in 5th gear at 75mph 60 F outside I get 196-199F but in 6th gear same speed same road conditions I get 205-208F...I only wish people would answer my question if this is normal temperatures.
Seems high and the increased temps in 6th seem plain wrong. At 60 degrees outside my car would be running low 190's in 6th at any normal highway speed.
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Old Mar 8, 2012 | 12:17 PM
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I would suspect the 186* thermo is the SECOND water and pump thermo unit that the car has had and NOT the original euipt When buying a new waterpump they come with a pre-installed thermostat----Ans YES GM did change the configuration of the themostat housing assembly on mewer models---
On my 98 ( a waterpump is normal maintenance) when the waterpmp went out about 4 years ago---i bought a new repalcement for it--The replacement had the NEW style thermo and hosusing and it did come now with a 187*
I bought the car NEW myself off the showroom floor-- from a chevy dealer-
--It had a 195* in it !!!! I did hds cam and mods a year later-- ( I'm an old fart) LOL----
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Old Mar 8, 2012 | 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by lionelhutz
Seems high and the increased temps in 6th seem plain wrong. At 60 degrees outside my car would be running low 190's in 6th at any normal highway speed.
when back to the dealer and demanded that they installed a new stock thermostat. Car runs the same at freeway speeds 196-198F on 5th gear and only 1degree hotter on 6th gear. Before I changed thermostat (yesterday) it was 196-198 on 5th and 205-208F in 6th.
Today road condition and outside temps were the same as yesterday and drove he car at same speed 75mph. makes abslutelly no sense but the new Tstat fixed it.
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Old Mar 8, 2012 | 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by 2blklt4
thanx!

After digging the whole night and whole day found out that there are 2 types of stock thermostats that came with C5's because there are 2 types of water pumps installed after 1998. The number on the waterpump should decide what type of thermostat to use. They are NOT interchangeable thank God. The newer kind thermostates have 2 numbers stamped on them 86/100C which translates 186/212F
Thats that mean that it is a 186F thermostat? The old type does not have anything stamped on it.
GM really is not precise on anything so 195 number should be anyones wild guess?
To mention both types have the thermostat built in housing so you buy housing w thermostat.
Can anyone come forward with proof of the stock thermostat for a '98?
Update: If your C5 had your water pump replaced than the thermostat that the new pump cames with is a 187F Thermostat however it starts to crack open at that temperature and is fully open at 212F thats why it has engraved 86/100Celsius meaning 186/212F on it.
Still don't know what Tstat the factory instaled waterpumps..I know and saw them that look different and that Tstat does NOT have any numbers engraved on it. Does anyone know?
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Old Mar 9, 2012 | 08:57 AM
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The old style (removable) thermostat is rated at 187*F (86*C) starts to open temperature.

It's listed in the 2001 Owner's Manual on page 6-76.
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