Swapping thermostat.....question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,990
Likes: 1
From: Corpus Christi Texas
Swapping thermostat.....question
Did a search but couldn't find the answer. My car was tuned by Z-industries but I still have the stock t-stat. The fans come on early so I'm swapping to a 160 (been sitting in my garage). It has also been a long time since I did a thermo swap so I'm just wondering if I can reuse the stock gasket? The one I purchased from Cartek didn't come with a new gasket. Thanks for the info.
Also, please no arguing for or against the 160, I'm swapping regardless.
Also, please no arguing for or against the 160, I'm swapping regardless.
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 415
Likes: 0
From: Cocoa Florida
Originally Posted by bunk22
Did a search but couldn't find the answer. My car was tuned by Z-industries but I still have the stock t-stat. The fans come on early so I'm swapping to a 160 (been sitting in my garage). It has also been a long time since I did a thermo swap so I'm just wondering if I can reuse the stock gasket? The one I purchased from Cartek didn't come with a new gasket. Thanks for the info.
Also, please no arguing for or against the 160, I'm swapping regardless.
Also, please no arguing for or against the 160, I'm swapping regardless.
I would never re-assemble anything with a used gasket. Why gamble on doing the labor twice?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,275
Likes: 226
From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
if you can get the o-ring out of the stocker, you'll be fine; drain the rad., then loosen the 10mm bolts at the tstat and try to catch the rest of the fluid from there; and change your oil often as 160deg will not get hot enough to boil off the water that condense in the crankcase
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,179
Likes: 97
From: Palm Coast, FL
Originally Posted by connecticut
if you can get the o-ring out of the stocker, you'll be fine; drain the rad., then loosen the 10mm bolts at the tstat and try to catch the rest of the fluid from there; and change your oil often as 160deg will not get hot enough to boil off the water that condense in the crankcase
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Liquordale Florida
Originally Posted by purple heart
l thought Mobil-1's syntech fluid was made in such a way as to "fight" or prevent water condensation in crankcase oil. Comments please.
It will to an certain extent - BUT - the oil has to get up to normal operating temps to do so. The newer synthetics will "help prevent" absorption of that condensate into the oil, nothing prevents it BETTER than running at normal operating temps on a regular basis. For daily drivers that see enough driving to get HOT and run for awhile, there shouldn't be an issue. For garage queens, bar hoppers and grocery getters, that see very little mileage - it may well be an issue.
There's lots of good logic on both sides of this debate. People throw tuners names around, like they're Nobel Laureates, or Rhodes Scholars (and some of them may well qualify). Go for what you're comfortable with, and drive so the oil gets up to operating temperature for awhile and you'll never need to consider the "condensation issue".
Rick
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