JSilverman Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 I am in the process of swapping radiators and putting new hoses in. SInce I have everything apart I figured Id replace the thermostat as well so I dont have to worry about it down the road. After some coaxing, I finally got the snap ring out, but i cant tell if I put it back together correctly. It doesnt really look like the snap ring is seated correctly, but there is not much room to see (Im looking through the gap between the headlight cover and the nose panel, LOL) I can wiggle the thermostat, but I cant pull it out. Does that sound like its installed? Also what is the temp from the OEM part. The thermostat I pulled out was a 72C and the new one is 80C. The parts store told me that 80C is OEM. Thanks in advance!! Quote
Tim Comeau Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 Jason, Couple things...... When installing a thermo switch in the radiator, remember the side tanks are plastic. Don't over tighten. There are 3 different lower hoses for the cars. early, late, and one specific to the 924S. There are two different thermostat grooves in the water pumps, the new thermostats come with different sized rubber "seats." And, yes, there are thermostats of different opening temps. Any brand may be used or no thermostat may be used. The coldest opening temp I've found is from a VW. If you run no thermostat, I've been told that the engine will run hotter because there's no restriction to slow the water down in it's travel through the radiator, so it doesn't get enough time in there to cool down. During install, watch the hoses for clearance. I'd buy some fresh rubber mounts to keep the radiator tight, and yes, there are different types of those, too. Quote
944-Spec#94 Posted February 12, 2007 Posted February 12, 2007 80C is OEM, 72C is the "low temp" one. If the t-stat is loose then you are missing a spacer. Everything will still work, but cooling may not be optimized with the t-stat the way it is. Quote
Tim Comeau Posted February 12, 2007 Posted February 12, 2007 Right. Joe, the VW Scirroco one was 70C? Quote
JSilverman Posted February 12, 2007 Author Posted February 12, 2007 I actually figured it out. The parts store had sold me an extra gasket. When I opened the box for the thermostat there was one in there. I compared the two and they looked the same so I used the one that came in the box. After removing and installing it 4 times I decided to try the other one. Wouldnt you know it went in the first time. As far as the hoses goes, I almost found out the hard way. I guess I accidentally ordered a 944 lower hose. When I installed it it was almost rubbing against the power steering pulley. I put the original hose back on until I get the new one. The rubber mounts you are talking about, are they on top of the radiator or the bottom? My car was actually missing the driver side top mount so Ill be ordering one of those as well. Im assumign the missing mount is why the radiator has so much movement right now? Quote
Tim Comeau Posted February 12, 2007 Posted February 12, 2007 Righto, Jay. Replace all 4. 2 tops, 2 bottoms. it's even more critical on the 924S because the lower radiator "shelf" is directly attached to the front spoiler, unlike the 944's, so anything that hits and mis-shapes the spoiler affects your radiators fit. I'd get some good 1/4 inch weave wire cloth to protect the radiator as well. Shape it so that rubber chunks can't get caught in it. Quote
JSilverman Posted February 12, 2007 Author Posted February 12, 2007 My car didnt have any rubber in the lower mounts. It does look like the lower mounts were damaged at some point so the car was probably involved in a front end accident. I guess Ill have to look at the PET or the factory manual and see what Im missing. On a sort of related note, what do most of you guys do for a catch can for the radiator overflow? Quote
Tim Comeau Posted February 13, 2007 Posted February 13, 2007 I don't run anything for an overflow tank because the coolant reservoir IS the catch tank. If it pi$$es over the side from there, it's just distilled water and water wetter. No track hazard. Although, if it does overflow the coolant reservoir (expansion tank) you've got a problem to deal with. Quote
genikz Posted February 13, 2007 Posted February 13, 2007 Oddly enough I'm fighting with my 924S cooling system too. I'm going to rent a cooling system pressure tester to bleed the system tomorrow from Autozone (I installed a new rad, so I probably have a massive bubble in the system). I hear it works well in bleeding the system in one shot, so you may try that to bleed yours as well. Quote
JSilverman Posted February 13, 2007 Author Posted February 13, 2007 Tim, Any idea where I can buy the radiator mounts? Theonline shops dont have them listed. I checked Paragon and Pelican and neither had 924 mounts. Pelican has early 944 mounts, but they looked different thatn the moutns I have in the car. Thanks!! Quote
Tim Comeau Posted February 13, 2007 Posted February 13, 2007 I hope you specified 924S and not 924? I have a wholesale relationship with several parts warehouses. Get your shop to try SSF, IMC, ? I can get any parts you need if you can't source them. If you want to get any air out of the system (no heater core, right?) just fill the car up with water/water wetter and run it. All the components of the cooling system are at designed heights with respect to each other. One of the highest is the 12mm air bleeding "banjo bolt" on the water return hose fitting. After the engine is warmed up, just crack that 12mm bolt loose a little. Steam (air) will come out at first, then liquid water. When you get liquid water coming out, tighten it back up. It should have a small crush washer under the head and remember you're tightening a steel screw into an aluminum housing! Let the engine cool completely and check the water level in the expansion tank. Quote
genikz Posted February 13, 2007 Posted February 13, 2007 If you want to get any air out of the system (no heater core, right?) just fill the car up with water/water wetter and run it. All the components of the cooling system are at designed heights with respect to each other. One of the highest is the 12mm air bleeding "banjo bolt" on the water return hose fitting. After the engine is warmed up, just crack that 12mm bolt loose a little. Steam (air) will come out at first, then liquid water. When you get liquid water coming out, tighten it back up. It should have a small crush washer under the head and remember you're tightening a steel screw into an aluminum housing! Let the engine cool completely and check the water level in the expansion tank. Timmay! Not to question your abilities, but I just want to share my mistakes so others don't repeat them. I tried the method you mention above and probably bled the system at least 15 times. I had so much air in the system I never saw any water from the bleeder screw and the air in the system must have worked itself to the thermostat; I had to shut it down 'cause the damn t-stat didn't open. I rented a coolant pressure tester from Autozone and had all (I hope!) the air from the system in about 1 minute flat. I tested it about an hour ago and couldn't get the thing to heat up no matter how hard I tried Quote
Tim Meyer Posted February 14, 2007 Posted February 14, 2007 Here's an even easier way of doing this. I learned the hard way too... Drill a hole ~3/16" on the rim of the thermostat before installing the thermostat. Put everything together. Take out the bleeder valve with the 12mm wrench. Fill the coolant tank with your fluid of choice. The first gallon goes in real easy. The second gallon will take a while. Don't start the car. Wait for the fluid to ooze from the bleeder hole. Put the bleeder back in. Fill the resivoir to the proper mark. You are done. What's going on? The small hole allows air and fluid to bypass the thermostat during filling. The hole isn't big enough to bypass the thermostat when the engine gets hot, so the thermostat still operates as designed. Quote
Packfill Posted February 14, 2007 Posted February 14, 2007 Tim, That is also the way I do it.... except I actually blow into the system to hurry the process.... very quick and efficient..... Quote
Tim Comeau Posted February 14, 2007 Posted February 14, 2007 Chris, I'm not sure why you had a difficult time? There's about 2 gallons in the system. I don't understand how you could have used almost 2 gallons of water and still had that much air? More than one way to skin a cat? But they all yowl just as loud every time! Quote
genikz Posted February 19, 2007 Posted February 19, 2007 Chris,I'm not sure why you had a difficult time? There's about 2 gallons in the system. I don't understand how you could have used almost 2 gallons of water and still had that much air? More than one way to skin a cat? But they all yowl just as loud every time! I didn't measure... I'm more of an "eyeball it" kind of guy I only pushed through about two fills of the coolant resevior before I got a stream from the bleeder screw. Maybe half a gallon. Quote
Tim Comeau Posted February 23, 2007 Posted February 23, 2007 Ok, maybe you just started it up too early? I keep filling it until I get water out the bleed screw. Then fire it up.........yada, yada. Fresh radiator? Quote
genikz Posted February 23, 2007 Posted February 23, 2007 Yep, fresh rad. I'm sure I just jumped the gun. I'm pretty impatient Either way, the coolant pressure tester worked wonders and I plan on using it everytime. I'm surrounded by AutoZone's, so it's easy for me. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.