SC Thermostat

[tozerman]

Hi guys, I have a V6 S3C which takes ages to warm up (ie 20 minutes approx) so I have purchased a new thermostat (std 2.9 v6 one.
Am I right in thinking it goes where the top rad hose meets the engine ? if I am correct the housing it goes in has 3 mounting holes in it !! now the kit I've got has a gasket with only 2 mounting holes in it ???
Can anyone shed any light ?
CHEERS..........Tony..

[merky300]

Hi Tony

You are right with the location of the thermostat housing with three screws. The housing doesn't use a gasket as such, there is a rubber seal which fits around the outer edge of the thermostat which acts as the seal.

Tony

[tozerman]

Thanks for the advice Tony, I will have a go and see how I get on.
Cheers......Tony..

[tvrgit]

If you have a gasket and no rubber seal, I would be asking 2 questions:

1. Is this the right thermostat? and

2. What if I can't re-use the rubber seal on the old one, if there isn't one in the kit?

[jonnylayze]

In my experience - if a gasket is needed - or you need to modify a gasket - most motor factors seem to sell 'universal' paper gaskets which can have holes punched in them in the appropriate locations.

Good luck!

[tvrgit]

In my experience you can make a gasket out of thin card and vaseline (my ISCV gasket was originally a business card), but that's not important right now - if you need a rubber seal instead, gasket-making skills are redundant.

[tozerman]

Thanks guys, I do have a rubber seal as well as a two hole gasket, so I guess all I have to do is use the rubber seal and bin the gasket, I will have a go tonight and see how I go on
Cheers.......Tony..

[ketvrin]

What Thermostat did you buy Tony? where from ?

I'll be replacing mine soon when I replace the hoses.

K

[tozerman]

It is a Quinton hazel one rated at 88 degrees it comes with a rubber seal and a 2 hole gasket, I will try and get it done tonight or tomorrow day time and post to say how I got on.
Cheers.....Tony..

[jimed]

I hope the 88C thermostat is OK - I think the correct/original one was an 82C. Anyone know a definitive statement on this as mine has the 82C in bought from a TVR main dealer some years ago as the correct one?
Bit later - I've just had a quick look at the Steve Heath book and also the Haynes for the V6 and they both say 82C - but does this mean the start to open temp and could the 88c one be correct?? Steve Parkers parts list doesn't show a thermostat so it could be useful to get a correct part no for it.
Jim

[tozerman]

The 88 degrees one is listed in the catalogue for the granada 2.9, I just assumed it is the same for the S ? Does anyone know anything firm on this subject ?
Cheers....Tony..

[greymrj]

I want to know this too so I hope someone knows for certain. Incidentally, if this is being watched by any of the members with 2.8 cars, that is not where the thermostat is on these cars (although it does look as if it should be in that domed casting), on the 2.8 it is low down on the other side of the engine where the other rad pipe connects. There is a 'rubber' 'O' ring in the water pump body to act as a seal.
I've just checked the manual for the early Sierra with the 2.8 Cologne engine and that gives 82 degrees (opening between 79-83 degrees).

[ketvrin]

Yep... thats why I asked

K

[tozerman]

I have just taken the old one out and it is a genuine motorcraft one marked 88 degrees, the question is...is it the original one fitted from new ?????
One of the reasons I am changing it is because the car takes ages to fully warm up, so if I fit an 82 degrees thermostat surely it will run slightly colder ?
I can also confirm the 2 hole gasket is indeed a red herring, all you need (as previously posted)is the rubber seal.
So as usual with a TVR even a small job can turn into something complicated.
Cheers.....Tony.

[clarenceboddiger]

tozerman said:

One of the reasons I am changing it is because the car takes ages to fully warm up, so if I fit an 82 degrees thermostat surely it will run slightly colder ?

Yes it will run slightly colder but it wont change the time it takes to get there. I would suggest that at 20 mins to warm up, the one you have in isn't closing properly and fitting either of the new ones should reduce the time taken to warm up to its opening temperature.

[ketvrin]

This is an extract from an ebay listing...

quote:

This is a 82 degree thermostat for the 2wd Ford Sierra Cosworth.

This product will drop the water temperature in your engine from its standard 88degrees, perfect for those tuned cars, especially in the summer.

unquote.

K

[tozerman]

I have just been back to my local motor factors to try and change my 88 degrees stat for an 82 degrees one only to find they do not list one !! he actually rang Quinton Hazel direct who have a technical helpline for their stockists and they also said they do not list an 82 degrees stat for that engine and whilst others may actually fit the housing it would not be recomended to use them ! The plot thickens.
I am tempted to fit the 88 degrees one as if it is good enough for a granada (the size of which would make the engine work harder) it will be good enough for a TVR surely ?

[greymrj]

I can add a little more, and I think it tips things towards the 88. I called in at my factor friend today, again we waded through parts listings. QH show 88 for both the 2.8 and 2.9 (they do actually do an 82 which would fit the housing but doesn't cross ref at all to a Ford application so was certainly never specified for the V6). Gates show one listed as 87/88 for the 2.8 and the 2.9.
I've just checked the two thermostats I have (on the shelf after being removed from the two engines I have!) and they both say 88.
It has been suggested to me, and I'm sorry I dont know enough about this to comment, that as the Bosch Jetronic system has a fairly simple link to engine coolant temperature then we had better not change it! Is there anybody who has used the V6 S on the track who can add anything?

[jimed]

You could always fit the 88 and see how you get on. I think that when I got the 82 one it was a TVR special hence getting it from a main dealer at the time - maybe because the cooling is different in the Tiv from the Granny (?).
Just checked and see TVR Car Parts has 2 shown - one for the 2.9 at £11.02 and an 82C one with gasket for £6.25. I wonder what the difference is (maybe Neil could tell us) so if you do fit the 88 let us know how you go on.
Jim

[greymrj]

JIm, frustrating that the TVR Car Parts item doesn't specify the rating for the V6!