I need HEAT!!

Freebeer187

The Bolt Rounder
Feb 2, 2009
5,334
10
Schaumburg
So my GP is up and running strong. The heat gets real hot when its about 40+F out. When it gets down to 30 or lower the heat seems to really not get too hot. Im assuming this is because it is butt cold out and its just they way it is, but I was wondering is there a little matnience I can do to kind of get a little more heat out of it? The car is always warmed up before I get in. (remote start :D )

Even after 10 miles of driving the heat is warm for sure but, the hotter the better.
 
S

Scott5

Guest
This issue is usually caused by a weak/old thermostat. Typically, a thermostat will start to be on its last legs at about 75,000 miles or so, but it's not uncommon for them to give up the ghost before then. If the thermostat hasn't been replaced in a long time, it's good preventative maintenance to replace it. They usually only cost about $15-$20 and are usually relatively easy to replace in about 30 minutes or less. Has the thermostat ever been replaced?
 

Freebeer187

The Bolt Rounder
Feb 2, 2009
5,334
10
Schaumburg
This issue is usually caused by a weak/old thermostat. Typically, a thermostat will start to be on its last legs at about 75,000 miles or so, but it's not uncommon for them to give up the ghost before then. If the thermostat hasn't been replaced in a long time, it's good preventative maintenance to replace it. They usually only cost about $15-$20 and are usually relatively easy to replace in about 30 minutes or less. Has the thermostat ever been replaced?

No the thermostat has never been replaced. I know where it is at, but when the car is cool with the upper radiator hose still have coolant in it? Do I just let a little bit of it spill out then replace the thermostat?
 
S

Scott5

Guest
No the thermostat has never been replaced. I know where it is at, but when the car is cool with the upper radiator hose still have coolant in it? Do I just let a little bit of it spill out then replace the thermostat?

Basically, yes. You can catch any that spills out into some sort of container, cut open milk jug, or what have you. Make sure you have the proper antifreeze to refill it with. GM takes Dexcool or Dexcool compatible antifreeze. It's very important to make certain that any and all old thermostat gasket material has been completely scraped off the metal surface where the gasket seals, or the new thermostat and gasket can leak. Some cars have no thermostat gasket at all.

Try to avoid buying a made in China/Mexico/Korea lower quality thermostat. Try to find an AC/Delco thermostat at an auto parts store. Call around.
 

Freebeer187

The Bolt Rounder
Feb 2, 2009
5,334
10
Schaumburg
Basically, yes. You can catch any that spills out into some sort of container, cut open milk jug, or what have you. Make sure you have the proper antifreeze to refill it with. GM takes Dexcool or Dexcool compatible antifreeze. It's very important to make certain that any and all old thermostat gasket material has been completely scraped off the metal surface where the gasket seals, or the new thermostat and gasket can leak. Some care have no thermostat gasket at all.

Try to avoid buying a made in China/Mexico/Korea lower quality thermostat. Try to find an AC/Delco thermostat at auto parts store. Call around.

Thanks for the info! Im going to do this one of these days. It shouldnt be hard to find a delco thermostat. Nice thing is I had a professional coolant flush about 5K miles or so ago. Ill pick up a little dexcool to top it off.

195* is stock right?
 
S

Scott5

Guest
Thanks for the info! Im going to do this one of these days. It shouldnt be hard to find a delco thermostat. Nice thing is I had a professional coolant flush about 5K miles or so ago. Ill pick up a little dexcool to top it off.

195* is stock right?

That should be correct, but any competent auto parts store can look that up for you. It's possible the coolant flush dislodged some rust/scale in the system and it has partially plugged up the thermostat.
 

Fish

From the quiet street
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Aug 3, 2007
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esplain your thoughts on this:dunno:

and btw, you wont have to worry about thermostat gasket material and scraping. there is seal on the thermostat, make sure you replace that while youre in there

Its been discussed on quite a few boards. Here is a run down.

What Thermostat do I use with my 3.4 L V6? Can I buy one from URD?
UNDERDOG RACING DEVELOPMENT recommends that you use a Stant 170 degree thermostat or a stock 180 degree thermostat in your 3.4 L 5VZ-FE. The Stant part is #14007.
Although we supply a 170 degree thermostat with our Fuel Kits, we are not selling the thermostat by itself. They are readily available from NAPA and Advanced Auto Parts. We don’t want to overcharge you for an item that is easily picked up by you for less.
When engine coolant temperature is lowered in the supercharged 3.4 liter 5VZ, power marginally improves. You likely won’t feel much power gain in the seat of your pants.
There is some misinformation out there as to why a cooler thermostat increases engine performance. Some people think a cooler thermostat makes the engine run richer. It does not. It heats the air entering the engine less creating a denser fuel/air charge thereby developing more power. Cooler induction air is less prone to induce spark knock so the ECU can run more aggressive ignition timing resulting in greater power.
UNDERDOG RACING DEVELOPMENT experimented with two lower temperature thermostats available for the 3.4 V6 engine; the pricey TRD 160 degree thermostat, and the Stant 170 degree thermostat.
We have three minor concerns about the 160 degree thermostat. They are: Engine wear (very minor concern), fuel economy, and cold weather driving. Hot engine coolant enables the heater to keep occupants warm. How much power gain is worth freezing your bottom? NONE should be the correct answer for most of us. We have tested both units. The 170 degree thermostat keeps us nice and toasty. The 160 degree thermostat never gets hot enough in very cold weather.
Modern gasoline requires higher engine temperatures to burn efficiently and provides the best fuel economy. The correct water temperature is required for cylinders to achieve a minimum specific temperature in order to allow a fully homogenized air/fuel mixture to combust efficiently. The 170 degree thermostat reduces actual coolant temps from just over 190 degrees on our test vehicle to 180 degrees. Lowering coolant temperature in the engine any further may cause poorer fuel economy and reduced engine life through additional wear. There are better ways to make extra horsepower in our opinion.
In summary, UNDERDOG RACING DEVELOPMENT believes the Stant 170 degree thermostat increases engine performance, and at the same time it does not negatively impact fuel economy or potential accelerated engine wear. It is a cheap upgrade. Heater performance is also minimally affected. This is the thermostat we have decided to run in our own trucks. You can find it for around $13 at your local auto parts store.

CLICK THIS LINK FOR THE URD WEBSITE
http://www.urdusa.com/information.php?info_id=4

Dr. Terry McFadden teaches a course at UAF called Arctic Engineering. It is a gold mine of tips, solid engineering, common sense and often little-known facts about coping with day-to-day problems encountered in cold climates.

If you don't like puzzles, skip the next paragraph, but I'm including it here to show the kind of problem that McFadden gives his class. It's a classic of basic engineering rationale, and requires only rudimentary mathematics and a little insight to solve. For malingerers, the answer is given at the end of this column. The problem reads:

"Some experts estimate that the wear on the rings of an internal combustion engine is as high as 0.001" per 1000 miles of operation when the oil temperature is below 170 degrees F. If the maximum allowable wear is 0.006", how long can you run your engine when the oil temperature is below 170 degrees before you wear it out?" (A 6-to-1 engine-to-wheel reduction ratio, an average running speed of 3000 rpm, and 14-inch wheels 28 inches in diameter are assumed.)

The point of this problem is to stress that by far the greatest amount of engine wear takes place before the oil is warmed up. The amount of wear that occurs afterward is insignificant by comparison.

It can be appreciated, therefore, that it is important to warm the oil, as well as the engine block. An engine that is kept warm with a circulating heater or with one that is plugged into the block can usually be started easily, but the oil is not heated and it provides very little lubrication at first. Consequently, the most engine wear occurs during the few minutes immediately after starting.

The ideal situation, of course, is to have a heater for both the engine block and the oil pan. Owners of cars with air-cooled engines like the old Volkswagen beetle know that the oil pan heaters are the only kind of heater that the engine will take (aside from dipstick heaters, and the less said about them, the better).

The answer to the problem given above is that the engine would be technically worn out after just 144 hours of cold operation. Realistically though, those 144 hours represent an awful lot of cold starts.

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF7/747.html

Wouldnt stop me from using a colder Tstat, but I personally wouldnt go lower then 180.
 
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