Themostat Gasket

[TonyL]

Is RTV good enough for the thermostat housing gasket? Also what is the best t-stat temp.( bought a 180 so i hope thats what you tell me)

Thanks,
Tony

[Dieselboy]

I had always used the paper gasket from Felpro. In the past I've run both 180s and 195s, and I saw improved power and economy with less smoke while using the 195s.

[ 03-23-2004, 01:17 PM: Message edited by: Dieselboy ]

[britannic]

Same as DieselBoy, I tried colder t-stats and eventually found the OEM high flow 195F was the best. My t-stat housing wouldn't seal no matter what - it was warped, so I found a brand new OEM one over at www.gmpartsdirect.com (http://www.gmpartsdirect.com) for just $12.00, it just needed the Felpro gasket after that.

[92gmc]

in a gasser, lower coolant temps help because the intakes are water jacketed, and cooler water = cooler air, also it can help prevent detonation by keeping the surface temp of the combustion chamber cooler and finally you can sometimes run more spark advance and leaner mixture without pre-detonation. None of these benefits will apply to a diesel.

Don't know if there is any disadvantage to a cooler thermostat though

[britannic]

A cooler t-stat is great for frequent heavy towing, but if it is frequent, the owner will probably upgrade to the twin stat setup anyway.