Thermostat

  • #1

    Thermostat

    Ok so my wife's Mercury Villager (VG30) started to overheat last week. It would get dangerously hot then cool down again. It does this randomly. The same day, her mom's 85' Z started doing the same thing. I'm thinking its a thermostat issue. I haven't got around to ordering one so she is driving the DSM for now.
    Well now guess what? My 86' is doing the same shit! I couldn't believe it.
    All VG30's that we have in the family are overheating at the same time....its the oddest thing. Is it the weather? Since last week its been getting hot as hell… thats the only thing I can think of but it doesn't make sense since there have been plenty of hot days in the past....and last year I was in LA with my Z31 in 100degF weather and no problems. Its just weird.
    Anyways, her father replaced the 85' thermostat and it started leaking from there after that. He is pissed saying that its because it is a cheap thermostat that didn't come with a gasket, and requires you to put your own silicone sealing.
    Do you guys have any warnings for me as to which thermostat brands to stay away from?
    What has worked for well for you guys?
    I really don't feel like spending $60 for a Nissan one…but I will if I have to.
    http://www.vgpowered.com
    Bridging the gap between VG communities…

    Z shirts and more http://www.cafepress.com/zcargifts
  • #2
    OEM is $60? Go to NAPA.
    Shiro #443

  • #3
    Had the same issue. Mine turned out to be a faulty rad cap. The rubber gasket portion dry rotted and didn't seal well enough and would cause wildly fluctuating temp spikes. I would do a thermostat as well while you're at it, my #2 guess.
  • #4
    Gregmatic wrote: Had the same issue. Mine turned out to be a faulty rad cap. The rubber gasket portion dry rotted and didn't seal well enough and would cause wildly fluctuating temp spikes. I would do a thermostat as well while you're at it, my #2 guess.
    Ditto on the rad cap. Whenever I do a timing belt, I do the water pump, t-stat and rad cap.

    BTW, thermostat from nissan do NOT cost $60, that is for a nismo one. A regular stat is like $10 or so.
    Chuck Stong
    300+ Parts and Performance owner
    http://www.300-plus.com
    2002 ZCOT president and always active member
  • #5
    [quote]Firehawk wrote:
    Originally posted by Gregmatic
    Had the same issue. Mine turned out to be a faulty rad cap. The rubber gasket portion dry rotted and didn't seal well enough and would cause wildly fluctuating temp spikes. I would do a thermostat as well while you're at it, my #2 guess.
    Ditto on the rad cap. Whenever I do a timing belt, I do the water pump, t-stat and rad cap.

    BTW, thermostat from nissan do NOT cost $60, that is for a nismo one. A regular stat is like $10 or so.
    I looked up the fiche and it was very blurred but it looks like the thermostat is part # 21200.
    No nissan parts website can find that part #, and Nissanparts.cc only has the Nismo one listed.
    http://www.vgpowered.com
    Bridging the gap between VG communities…

    Z shirts and more http://www.cafepress.com/zcargifts
  • #6
    If nothing else, you can always order from me. I sell nissan parts at a discount.
    Chuck Stong
    300+ Parts and Performance owner
    http://www.300-plus.com
    2002 ZCOT president and always active member
  • #7
    carquest stat + silicone seems to work. Should solve the fluctuations.

    Terrible idea putting those wheels on…
  • #8
    If you are replacing the t-stat then you may also want to consider a lower temp as well.

    Jason has one listed on his site and I imagine that Firehawk can get it also.
    Just stand back and throw money.
    Performance costs money.
    Reliable performance costs more.