Thermostat help

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tekslk

tekslk

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I would really like a 185-190 degree thermostat who carries them for a LA360?
 
Isnt a 185-190 odd ball, I can find 180 and 195 but that isnt what I want.
 
I guess I'm curious as to why 5* is that different. Other than it's what you want. What's the theory.

I run a 180* and it does a great job.
 
You are over thinking this. Just get a 180 or 195. Not saying they aren't out there but I have never seen one that is advertised as being inaccurate and open somewhere in within a 10 degree range.
 
I have 195 in for the winter to make heat Ide feel better if it was about 5 cooler. Not a real big deal. Just screwing around.
 
Ive also used both side of the intake for my gage and theres 10 degrees diffrence between the left and the right. Seams odd to me.
 
the 180 in the summer works great but I get water condensation in the oil in the winter with that one. That why Im thinking 185-190 would be perfect to use in the winter, with the 195 in it runs about 204.
 
tekslk said:
the 180 in the summer works great but I get water condensation in the oil in the winter with that one. That why Im thinking 185-190 would be perfect to use in the winter, with the 195 in it runs about 204.
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If you aren't driving anything but short distances most of the time, it will pick up condensation. An engine needs to be brought up to temp and driven a bit to burn off that condensation. Running at 204 isn't overheating.
 
Much as I've said it, here it is again. With a 15 pound cap and just water, your boiling point is 257 degrees. More with coolant. This is why most temp gauges you see top out at 260. Engines run their best between 195-215. As long as they don't get over 215 idling hot in traffic and will cool back down on the road, there's nothing wrong. Even when they get over 215, they are still not overheating. The problem is, once they reach a certain temperature, they cannot cool back down and they just keep getting hotter. That's when you get into trouble.
 
Have seen in mentioned every now & then that a hole needs to be drilled into a t-stat to allow a small amount of coolant to flow while the t-stat is closed...or something to that effect. Someone please correct me if I am wrong....thought that is what the bypass hose's purpose in life is....have another ? but need to check sumtim first.....never mind....my Duramax has 2 t-stats in it. I thought they had a 15* temperature difference but it is only a 5* difference..Was wondering why there would have been a 15* difference but not wundering tat no mur.......
 
Bad Sport said:
If you aren't driving anything but short distances most of the time, it will pick up condensation. An engine needs to be brought up to temp and driven a bit to burn off that condensation. Running at 204 isn't overheating.
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Worried about it boiling could always use Evans Waterless Coolant , has an advertised boiling point of 375* @0psi.....
 
Unless you drive the car a lot in the winter, in your climate, i'd stick with the 180* stat. unless you have to have the heat. The only reason i can see getting condensation in the oil is because it sit's too much for a extended period in the cold. Even if you get a extended period of snow/ice, i'd start it and get it to operating temp to try and keep it clean. You can always change the oil a few times if need be. I would actually prefer that vs swapping stats every season.
 
inkjunkie said:
Have seen in mentioned every now & then that a hole needs to be drilled into a t-stat to allow a small amount of coolant to flow while the t-stat is closed...or something to that effect. Someone please correct me if I am wrong....thought that is what the bypass hose's purpose in life is....have another ? but need to check sumtim first.....never mind....my Duramax has 2 t-stats in it. I thought they had a 15* temperature difference but it is only a 5* difference..Was wondering why there would have been a 15* difference but not wundering tat no mur.......
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Hey Ink,
Have you ever (I'm sure you have) been filling a cooling system and have the coolant just blow back out because the engine is already hot by the time the thermostat opened and let it circulate?

The hole cures that by letting the air by a closed thermostat so it fills the block right away without the big air bubbles.
 
inkjunkie said:
Have seen in mentioned every now & then that a hole needs to be drilled into a t-stat to allow a small amount of coolant to flow while the t-stat is closed...or something to that effect. Someone please correct me if I am wrong....thought that is what the bypass hose's purpose in life is....have another ? but need to check sumtim first.....never mind....my Duramax has 2 t-stats in it. I thought they had a 15* temperature difference but it is only a 5* difference..Was wondering why there would have been a 15* difference but not wundering tat no mur.......
Click to expand...

Hey Ink,
The hole lets the air bubbles out through the thermostat so you don't get "blowback" of coolant when filling because the thermostat wasn't open yet.
The air bubbles naturally want to go up, so the hole lets it get out the way it wants to go, minimizing trapped air in the block.

Works like a champ too.
 
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