MaineBuzz

Need to replace waterpump ('92 LT1) and have a few questions before I buy the new one.
1. Noticed that some vendors include the thermostat housing/neck but others don't. Is it because mine might be erroded on the inside and/or is it just a good idea to replace it anyway?
2. Should I replace the "coupler" or would I be safe to re-use mine? From the pictures it looks pretty indistructable albeit, pretty expensive ($60).
3. Will a new pump come with a "coupler seal" installed or do I need to buy one of those also?
4. Obviously I'm going to buy/install a new thermostat. Have read several threads about thermo sizes and am wondering if I should put a 160 or stay with 195 (I assume that's what's in it now)?

Now as a point of interest; I finally got my (white covered) service manual and while reading the first few chapters, found the following suggestion (re; cooling sys);
"Add two cooling system sealer pellets GM P/N 1051687 to coolant (vin P). Do not use pellets in Vin J engine cooling system."

5. Is this still a valid idea/requirement or a thing of the past?
Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions.

Silver96ce

1. I wouldn't be too sure about any of them coming with a thermostat housing/neck. Unless the description includes it, it is extra.
2. I have a 180 thermostat and I thought that was the OE temperature not 195.
3. You reuse the coupler.
4. If you are talking about the seal on the timing cover - no it won't come with it.
5. I wouldn't worry about using the system sealer. Consensus holds it was a bit of overkill by the factory to avoid leaks and it should not be necessary now.
6. By accident, I saw you were advertising to purchase a second hand/used waterpump in the parts section. Don't put a used pump on the car. If it takes a dump on the optispark, you'll have to do it a second time and add a new distributor to the equation. Too expensive not to do it right the first time.
Good luck.

higgyburners

with Silver96ce's advice . My Delco pump came with a new housing and 180 thermostat installed already i didnt have to touch it.

92ragtop

What you want are the Red manuals. White was preliminary.

MaineBuzz

Thanks, all for the input. I did order a new pump and thermostat from ZIP. Although their web picture shows a new water pump with a thermostat housing/hose tube installed, that isn't the case in reality, as I asked them today if their pump came with the thermostat housing. He offered to go get a pump and see for sure, and came back and said, "NO", theirs did not. He was amazed that the email picture showed it with one installed. Nonetheless, I ordered his pump and a new (195) thermostat. He claimed that the 195 was the original thermostat although I told him I thought most Forum members seemed to favor a 180. Should I have passed on the 195 and gone for the 180?

Silver96ce

I have a 1996 with an LT1 - the same engine as you have in your '92. As per my owners manual, the correct factory thermostat is a 180 degree thermostat. Since you have the same engine I suggest that you have the same thermostat. So I say get the 180 unless the guy at Zip's drives a 1992 to 1996 LT1 Corvette and knows something I don't.

92ragtop

1992 came with a 195 degree T-stat.

Once you've removed the old water pump, take the time to scrape off all of the old gasket material from the block, using a razor blade. You'll need a mirror to really see what you're doing in there.

Also, there are 6 bolts holding the pump on. Take a look at your new pump, because 2 of the bolts are not very obvious when the pump is on the engine.

higgyburners

This answers your thermostat question and some other useful info.The second link is to a nice little item I picked up as a present to me today, se what I get for going to another gun show

http://h-body.org/people/projects/bu...t1%20info.html

http://jakesgunreviews.weebly.com/sp6920mp-b.html

Silver96ce

Did you take that temperature information from your owners manual? I say that because although I am unable to download a copy of the 1992 owners manual, I was able to look at the 1993 to 1996 owners manual and they all state that it is an 180 degree thermostat -
1. 1993 at page 313 of the owners manual;
2. 1994 at page 225;
3. 1995 at page 6-75;
4. 1996 at page 6-74.

I also see that you are in Canada - could there have been a difference for our neighbor to the North because of colder temperatures? IDK

I checked Rockauto's website and they list 180 degrees as the OE thermostat for 1992. So does NAPA's website. I would find it strange (though not impossible) that 195 would have been used for 1992 LT1s as the engine did not change significantly over its lifespan. If it was the OE temp for 1992 and was changed to 180 for the rest of the years, then I would think strongly about changing to a 180.

93cruiser

If you keep the car long enough, you will opt for a Mezeire electric water pump. the mechanical pumps do not last for long and when the bearings get real bad it causes a timing cover oil leak. The electric water pum install is little more invalid at first but well worth it.
93cruiser

92ragtop

The 1992 FSM talks about testing the thermostat, and that when warming up the engine, the stat should open at about 200, therefore a 195 stat would make sense. If it was a 180, the coolant would not get to 200 before the stat opened.

My car came out of the US, but I'd bet that Canadian one would have have the same T-stat.

Bottom line: if you feel better about installing a 180, it's not an issue.

MaineBuzz

Just checked my owners manual (should have done that to begin with), and did find that it specifies a 180. However, the prelim shop manual for 92 specifies a 195. So, I just called a local parts store and found that they have a 180 on the shelf so I'll stop by and get it. I also just emailed ZIP to cancel the 195. Hopefully, they'll see the email before they box up everything to ship-out to me, tomorrow. I had called and talked to the salesperson on Saturday and he said that it would be shipped out on Monday.
Thanks again for everyones input; you are a great support group..........:thumbs :

Silver96ce

That is a general test and not a specification for the thermostat. Plus a 180 starts to open at 180 and will not be fully open from my understanding until about 20 degrees above the initial opening temperature. 200 minus 20 = 180.

Tom400CFI

Silver96ce is exactly right. Trying to deduce your T-stat spec based on a testing procedure is folly. The T-stat in a '92 LT1 is 180*. Not 195...not 160. 180*.

rtart

My 92 vert runs at 197, and it is the stock t-stat. FWIW.

oilyfishhead

94 DD 600 miles per week. Close to 40K on the electric pump.

desertmike1

And my 95 W/180° stat runs 188° highway.. The Thermostat controls the Min Operating temperature only, For higher temps the Radiator/Fans take over.. OP make sure you get a Thermostat for an LT1 engine..