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170˚ Thermostat


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Can somebody give me a link or refer me to some place online that sells a 54mm 170˚ thermostat. I have tried all local places and even searched summitracing and jegs. I just want the engine to run a bit cooler and 160˚ would probably be over doing it.

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VF11 turbo, wrx intercooler w/ BOV, hood scoop, WRX downpipe, and exhaust are coming up for my next mod. I am just planning ahead and thinking about thermostats because I am bored. Somebody from the board once told me that I have to get a 54mm 170˚ thermostat for a GM engine or something because they don't make them for Subarus. I looked all over the place for them and came up with nothing. I had places like NAPA, carquest, and kragen look up 170˚ thermostats in catalogs with no results. So I am wondering if they even exist for any car.

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I think I have a 160 at my house. I will check when I get home. Ford 460s use the same size thermastat. They offer a 160 for it. The only thing different is the passage hole is not offset. It still has the bleeder on the side.

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I must of thrown my 160 away or I put it that very safe place that nobody will ever find it :-\ .

 

 

I looked at one of my other Ford therms and it is a 54mm, but there is no bleeder. I guess if you do get one from a chevy or a Ford then you might want to drill a small bleeder in it.

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thats too damn cold.

I totally agree, but they didn't ask for our advice so I didn't give them any. :rolleyes: It just means that there will be more 192s for me.

 

NAPA shows 160degree thermostats for various Chevys. Also shows 180s and nothing inbetween.

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Try searching on the board for "small block chevy"

 

I recall seeing somewhere that small block chevies use 54 mm thermostats - same size as Subaru.

 

Well, here is my 2 cents(from experience). Yes a small block Chevy thermostat will fit. I have a 180 in my GL-10. It works considerably better than the stock 192. I'm pretty sure since the coolant runs through the intake manifold(OEM configuration), running the 192 thermostat is going to rob you of power down the line due to excess heating of the intake charge. 180 is the way to go. Any colder and it'll probably be doing more harm than good.

 

Patrick

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Maybe where you live.:grin: Mine is a necessity since my car is in Texas. 100 degree weather, bumper-to-bumper, stop and go traffic will just about kill a car! Especially a turbocharged car.

My final .02 before I leave you to your beliefs :) :

 

Thermostats do not control how hot an engine gets, it controls how cold it can stay. Lower temp t-stats are bandaids for inadequately functioning cooling systems.

 

The manifold heating provides its most effect at low gas flows (idle, part-throttle), and very little at high gas flows due to thermal conductivity properties of the thick aluminum. The difference in temp of the intake charge at full throttle between a 180 and 192 t-stat would be negligable.

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My final .02 before I leave you to your beliefs :) :

 

Thermostats do not control how hot an engine gets, it controls how cold it can stay. Lower temp t-stats are bandaids for inadequately functioning cooling systems.

 

The manifold heating provides its most effect at low gas flows (idle, part-throttle), and very little at high gas flows due to thermal conductivity properties of the thick aluminum. The difference in temp of the intake charge at full throttle between a 180 and 192 t-stat would be negligable.

 

Look, I'm not too sure what your problem is, but I'm not one to sit back and be picked at. If this message comes across as being rude, then you understand the way it was meant.

 

My car is in perfect running order. All components of my cooling system were working just fine with the 192 in it. I changed it because in case you didn't know, the cooler your engine runs, the less thermal stress is put on its components(also including: oil, coolant, turbocharger bearings, etc.). So don't try to give me some BS line about it not making a difference. It is better to be safe than sorry. Besides that, I have been modding cars for years. My Gl-10 was the first Subaru that I had ever owned and also the first turbo car. I have worked around turbo cars in the past and happen to know a thing or two about them. One of which is," if you're looking for power, heat is definatly not your friend." So if you're wanting to be all enviromentally friendly(which I happen to be), freakin' put a cat on the darn thing. That'll make a bigger difference in reducing emmissions than some stupid thermostat.

 

Secondly, not all of us go by our "beliefs", as you put it. Some of us (like myself) go by what we know works, aka:factual information. This might be info that was passed down through the ages or info that came from a life experience. Why do you think so many ask questions concerning their cars? So they can learn something.

 

Now, believe that!

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Than why not say screw it and remove the thermostat all together? Subaru's engines are designed to run most efficiently at 180 degree's but running a 160 shouldnt hurt a thing. Provided you can find one. I was searching for a 170 for my EA81 in california, and even Napa couldnt special order one.

 

Intercool the car as soon as possible, i can tell a noticeable difference with my engine temps with the intercooler on.

 

-Brian

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  • 2 years later...

I'm running a 160 thermostat in my '86 GL 2WD wagon. The air conditioner (formerly not cool enough to write home about), began to cool the wagon much better - not so much heat from the engine compartment blasting through. Simple physics: create less heat from the engine & you'll feel much more comfortable in the passenger compartment - at least in the summer heat. Fuel milage is unchanged from the former 180 thermostat.

 

I'm your basic 'try it And see if it works' guy. Got my 160 from Advance Auto. They let me go back in the stacks & dig through all their stats.......I found the 160 SuperStant. Like you, I'd been seeking a 170...but there was not one to be found. I think the 160 is great - but then winter's not here yet and it can get pretty cold in Richmond, VA. Lesson: don't throw the old 180 away!

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Can somebody give me a link or refer me to some place online that sells a 54mm 170˚ thermostat. I have tried all local places and even searched summitracing and jegs. I just want the engine to run a bit cooler and 160˚ would probably be over doing it.

 

Some 170s listed:

 

http://www.car-stuff.com/store/?Ntt=thermostat&N=1719

 

Don't forget to replace the thermostat gasket as well.

 

Subarule

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A geniune Subaru thermostat will cool as effectively as an aftermarket 160 thermostat. The Subaru one's have a much larger opening on them. There's been several posts explaining this. For the $13 I'll take the genuine article anyday. Aftermarket 'stat's are junk as far as Subaru's go.

 

GD

What would you do, if you were in a scenario where all you wanted to do was install a thermostat for nothing more than a restrictor plate to help cause a pressure differential?? I haven't run with a thermostat in about two years now, and about eight months ago I finally read the root reasons for why you really should have one in there, even if overcooling is not an issue (the restriction helps raise the pressure a little higher, which raises the boiling point of the coolant, which makes it a superior coolant)

 

I have been kicking around in my mind as to what I should do about this, and I think that maybe getting a cheapo aftermarket T-stat and gutting it for use as a simple restrictor plate might be my best bet. That, or possibly finding a way to permanently jam it open.. but I don't know. Bear in mind that "frigid winter" to me is literally 50* or lower.

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http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/80s/ea-performance-page/subaru-ea-performance.html

 

"The thermostat is one of the most overlooked performance enhancements. By reducing the operating temperature of the engine a number of things happen.

 

First, volumetric efficiency is increased. That is when the engine runs cooler the air/fuel mixture entering the engine is also cooler. A cooler mixture means the mixture is more dense. The higher the mixture density the more that can be packed into the cylinder. You would be surprised how much more responsive the engine becomes just by changing the thermostat from 195°F to 180°F.

 

The next step would be a 170°F thermostat. 170°F thermostats for the EA series engine are hard to find however almost any 170°F thermostat with a 54mm diameter will work. The little 'jiggler'' valve is not required but its preferable. The valve helps to purge air in the system and allows a slight flow of water around the thermostat to eliminate any temperature differentials between the area around the thermostat and the engine itself.

 

Second, with the combustion clambers running cooler a lower octane fuel can be used. Or if you're looking for better low-end torque, you can advance the ignition timing a few degrees without having to worry about detonation. (Author's note: After installing a 160°F thermostat the performance increase was negligible. However, I was able to advance the ignition liming another 2° and use 87 octane[R + M/2] gasoline with NO detonation at all!)"

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