I live in upstate NY and I haven't had heat this whole winter. I figured my car was just old so maybe the heat didn't work so well. Also I thought my temperature gauge in the car didn't work because the most it read was 120. It just hit me that maybe because the reason i've been having no heat and bad gas mileage was because the car wasn't reaching proper operating temps. I've come to the conclusion that maybe the thermostat is bad and is stuck open or even removed. Do you guys agree? If so can give me a walkthrough on how to change the thermo?

Here are some details:
1988 V8 4barrel carb
100,xxx miles
LS
i owned it for about 4 months.

thanks guys! Any input will be appreciated.

 

maybe its the summer coolant aka more than the car needs in the winter

 

Please explain to me the difference between summer and winter coolant? It should be 50/50 no matter what time of year it is.

 

X2.......explain please.

 

Quit giving people bad advice/wrong information. I don't care if you have 100% antifreeze or 100% water in it. The thermostat is there to regulate the temperature no matter what. It will run the same no matter what concentration is in it. Anitfreeze is only there to raise boiling temp and lower freezing point.

 

Keep in mind that (because of a lower ambient temp) the heater will not appear to perform as well on cold days as warmer days. However, the engine should reach normal operating temp (180°). It is possible that your thermostat has failed. Replacing it is fairly straight forward...

With the engine cold, drain about a gallon of coolant from the radiator. Now look at the top hose and follow it back to where it connects to the engine. The (thermostat) housing the hose connects to is held to the intake manifold by 2 machine screws. Remove those screws, then lift the housing off the manifold. You may have to whack it with your hand to break it loose. Make note of how the thermostat is positioned, then remove it. Clean the mating surfaces on the manifold and housing, then install new thermostat. Install a new gasket (a thin coat of rtv sealer on both sides will aid in sealing) then install the housing. Refill the radiator, start the engine, bring it up to temp, shut down, let cool, check level and top off as needed.

 

You don't get what I was saying. It doesn't matter what fluid you run through it, the t-stat should maintain heat. Your previous posts about checking antifreeze composition are wrong. No incorrect percentage of antifreeze will could it to run 60 degrees too cold.

Yes, run 50/50. I was only making an example at 100%.

 

WOW.... OK, I hate to join this arguement, but I think I have to say some info.

First, you CAN run a car on 100% water. I've had coolant leaks on older cars in the middle of summer, to get by until a repair could be done, I had those cars running 100% water. Temp ran fine (as the T-stat did it's job, allowed the temp of the water to raise and then the T-stat opens and circulates to get cooler water were it's needed). I made sure to drain and re-fill the cooling system with a 50/50 mix of antifreeze.
Second, you do NOT want to have too high a concentration of H2O in your car during winter. I know someone who cracked a block with 100% water in an engine during winter (not me I might add). I would rather be heavy on anti-freeze then water.

Now, Anti-Freeze (at least modern anti-freeze) serves multiple purposes:
- Raises the boiling point of the coolant, so on those hot days you don't boil your engine
- Reduces freezing point (hence the name, Anti-Freeze) so you don't crack a block on those extreme cold days.
- Serves as a basic lubricant for the cooling system (notice when you get it on your hands, it has a "slick" feel different then water).
- I also believe it helps prevent your coolant from large scale evaporation (I had some dex cool on a frame rail of the Monte that did not evaporate over an entire winter of being stored, that includes the occasion "warm" weather days, when I jacked the car up and it dribbled, scared the crap out of me that a coolant leak developed, had to pressure test the system to figure it out).

Most recommandations I've read state to use a 50/50 mix anti-freeze and distilled water. I tend to use tap water (works fine, but it DOES have it's negatives, such as it introduces some "impurities" from the additives the water company puts in). I believe modern anti-freeze has an anti-corrosive agent in it, but I won't swear to it. And it is recommended to flush the cooling system, as the chemical composition of the coolant does break down and loose it's properties over time and use. That break down can discolor the coolant and cause sludgy substances to build up.

As for anti-freeze actually being corrosive, I cannot at this point confirm, but I believe that occurs when it breaks down, going back to needing to flush the system periodically.

 

BTW - As for the OP's problem with temp, it sounds like a bad T-stat hanging open. Many (if not all) T-stats these days will fail in the open position to prevent over heating the engine (it's a protection measure).

If your v8 is like many GM v8's I've seen, follow the upper radiator hose, you will find a T-stat housing that is held in by 2 bolts. Depending how "clean" and "green" you want to be, you could remove the two bolts and spill maybe 1/2 a quart of anti-freeze and simply top-off the system.... Or drain the system and re-fill as needed.

When installing the new t-stat, remember to use a new gasket and clean off the old gasket. Most T-stats I've seen can only go in one way, but for sake of arguement, make note of the old T-stat and how it sat and place the new one in the same way.

 

thank you maniac for defusing any confusion along the posts. I also agree with the t-stat might be stuck open as well not having the engine run like it should. Now with the fluid i would go with more antifreeze water mix for all year weather. what i mean is majority antifreeze and a 50/50 mix to top it off. i always had the best of luck on that type of mix. i also did see two freeze plugs get pushed out do to freezing of water. my dad had to much water not enough antifreeze in the mercury that i now have.