Why do I see some vendors selling a 160º thermostats alone (for big money) and other vendors selling these thermostats with a new housing (for really stupid money)? What is the purpose of these new housings?

 

I have wondered the samething. I bought just the thermostat and it works fine.

 

No need for a whole new housing/assembly on 2004 and up Corvettes, the proper thermostat by itself is all you need.

 

I suspect it is just a way to make a little more profit.

 

Since the Helms Manual called for a new housing I bought one when I did the 160° t'stat. I'm old enough to have learned to do things once (the right way) instead of re-doing because a shortcut didn't work.

 

I don't get you're point Did you need to use the new housing for some reason?

 

My point is; The Factory Service Manual calls for a new housing so that's the way I did it. Who knows why they call for a new housing, maybe the housing warps with use and there's no gasket between the housing and the water pump? I paid $25.99 delivered for the t'stat and gasket from TBYRNE and $36.18 for the new housing (w/a stock t'stat and gasket) from the Dealer's parts dept.

 

And you are now $36.18 (plus tax?) poorer as a result of it ...while this may have bought you some false sense of security that will help you sleep better at night, you will still experience no more gain than one who did just a thermostat alone.

 

Thanks Hal,
I checked my Factory Service Manual (2006), Page 6-632, and it didn't say anything about replacing the housing only the gasket.

 

Most of the time the folks replace both the t-stat and housing to make it a quick swap. Pull the bolts from the housing and do a pull and push with the new one and you're done.

 

I still don't get the obsession with changing the T-stat?? I bought my C4 LT1 a few years ago and it freaked me out that it ran so hot too. I grew up under the OLD belief that colder was better but that isn't true anymore. Since late C4 to present day Vettes all run at the higher temps for a reason. Obviously if it was bad for the engine GM would not want to take the warranty risk. So Why ??????

 

I believe the reason for hotter temps are to help reduce emissions.

 

GM is all about emissions and a hotter running engine will burn more fuel off and the heads and cats will be more effective....

 

stock cars don't need it. the moded ones esp f/i do to run stock temps....

 

Page 6-336 in the '05 Factory Manual; "IMPORTANT; the water pump inlet and the thermostat must be replaced as an assembly, the thermostat is not serviceable seperately." I try to follow the manual except when they have an obvious typo or misprint.

 

I still don't get the obsession with changing the T-stat?? I bought my C4 LT1 a few years ago and it freaked me out that it ran so hot too. I grew up under the OLD belief that colder was better but that isn't true anymore. Since late C4 to present day Vettes all run at the higher temps for a reason. Obviously if it was bad for the engine GM would not want to take the warranty risk. So Why ??????


GM builds the cars it sells to meet ALL federal emissions test AND to please the GENERAL public. GM could have given us a LOT more but it would have not been able to pass ALL the noise and pollution guide lines from all ends of the driving spectrum. One of the first things people do to make their vette better is change the exhaust. WHY did GM make the exhaust note so lame?? TO MEET FEDERAL NOISE GUIDELINES AND SELL CARS TO PEOPLE WHO HATE LOUD CARS!
They know we will put AFTERMARKET exhaust on and LOVE it! So,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the car is made GENERIC! IF,,,,you want to be generic, go ahead and keep your car stock. Their are however proven changes that help performance. A lower temp thermostat will help performance but may NOT help emissions in some circumstances. For the most part, it will help performance and not harm emissions.

Look at the Coolant in the throttle body. Why in the world did GM add heat to the intake air system??????? To allow people who drive cars in the frozen tundra not to have any throttle body freezing issues. The rest of us who drive in the desert, have to suffer with it or by-pass it. I by-pass it.

There are reasons people do what they do to their cars.

BC

 

And I think they might have themselves a little misprint right there...that sounds like a line talking about thermostats from a 1997-2003 service manual.

 

Exactly

If anyone doesn't actually believe that a thermostat can help their C6's performance (yes, even STOCK ones) I can show ya timeslips comparing passes made after idling in the lanes too long (206 degree coolant temps) versus ones made after letting the car cool just the right amount (183 degree coolant temps) all on the same day, almost 2 tenths quicker and up to 1mph faster...I installed my 160 degree thermostat 3 days later.

 

Could well be a misprint, but $36.00 for my peace of mind is worth it to me. A $36 part and a couple of hours work isn't too important on a $50,000 car.

 

On my 2006, the thermostat is designed to be changed out in the existing housing. This way, you don't have to wrestle with the spring clamp holding the hose on the housing - just undo two bolts, change the thermostat with its integral gasket, and put it back together, and refill the coolant. A $20 part and a few minutes work is all that is needed to treat a $50,000 car exactly the way it should be treated .