Does anyone see any issues running the Nismo thermostat?? I have one in my hand but I havent installed it. I jsut read it opens at 62 C(169F), Nissan OE thermostat opens at 76.5C(195F), I have read a few different temperatures on different web sites but this seems to be the most common..

But I am wanting to swap it in but does anyone see any problems with this?? I am about to have second thoughts I mean Nissan would of just put in the lower thermo if it made the engine run better, correct???? I just keep thinking "it aint broke dont fix it!!"

there are lots things that make vehicle run better that manufacturer's dont install
hi flow air filter for one, sway bar that dosent destroy your shock, auxillary tranny cooler on a first gen, etc. they dont do it cuz they dont need to, bc they dont think its help the overall sale numbers, i mean yea there area few of us that appreciate these things, but we are a tiny minority and they have zero reason to cater to us

But if its running colder than standard operating temperature wont that screw up the A/F mixture and so on, maybe make it run rich?? Its seems like in "todays" car you can just go around changing everything without effecting something else... I just don't want to go to the hassle of installing then gain gain absolutely NOTHING, hell I have a TB spacer from James that I am going to install and Dyno test (rich uncle has one in his garage) but I have yet to install it because it was more work that it was worth at the time. Its still sitting in the box on the dining room table lol...

all it would affect is the temp that coolant starts flowing thru the head
it woud not affect air intake temperature, throttle position and rpm is what determines a/f ratios
if im wrong i sure hope TJ comes in to correct me:)
so, whatever temp the engine runs at unregulated it will still run at that temp even if the termostat opens earlier, there are dudes with yota that just take them out all together

installing this new tstat however will NOT give more overheating protection at all, i dont have any idea what the VG33 would run at with no tstat
so all in all; i dont think it would hurt anything unless it was really cold out, bc it is possible to overcool the engine, and its very bad of you over cool the engine oil

granted the first part of what i posted could very well be wrong, im just gettin down to learnign the engine control stuff but im fairly sure its acurate

This performance stuff is so hard with the Xterra 3.3L hahaha, in the Jeep world you could think of it as all the roads were paved, the stores were built, it was like walking down a street window shopping for direct bolt on kits for anything and everything you could think of.. In the Xterra world its like we are still having a city counsel meeting to see if we need any roads yet... Everyone is to busy offroading the trails to need roads hahahaha....

sorry for the crappy construction analogy, but its my line of work lol...

i actually enjoyed that, being a structural guy myself

So if you have a cooler opening thermostat then you get a colder hot air from the heater since it then doesnt heat up as much... it doesnt seem worth it

sigh...

OK...

For the record...the thermostat DOES NOT CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE COOLANT........

............Let that sink in for a moment.

:bubblegum-big:



OK.

Now...

ALL the thermostat DOES DO is open, or close....and, it opens to let water flow through the radiator, so it can lose heat (Cool the water :chillpill: )....and it closes if the water is too cool.

Once its open...at 160 degrees, or 200 degree's, it simply STAYS open, unless the coolant gets colder again.

There are many factors that dictate wht the OPTIMUM temperature is to open or close at.

The primary issue is getting the engine up to operating temperature as soon as possible....:kalt-big:



If it stays cool longer, less oil gets to the upper cylinder areas, more hydrocarbons you paid $4/gallon for get blown out the tail pipe, etc.

:D

The engine management systems will lengthen the period that they see a cold engine, and, during that period, the tune will be ironically correct for the engine condition (Cold), but not optimal for performance or economy. (Slower and worse mpg...)

Some people think they will run cooler because they put in a colder range thermostat....which is a little like thinking they will be able to go faster with a speedometer that goes higher, etc.

So - ALL a colder range thermostat will do is make it take longer to warm up the engine, as the coolant will flow into the radiator sooner, and lose heat that it needed to get up to operating temperature.

:D

___________________________________________

Now, IF a colder thermostat were more expensive, THEN there would be pressure to use a cheaper higher temp thermostat....but, that is NOT the case...so, this is a case of the thermostat actually being set for the best fuel economy/performance....IE: Getting it up to optimum operating temperature ASAP.

:D

Hope that helps!

:wink-big:

Now, IF a colder thermostat were more expensive, THEN there would be pressure to use a cheaper higher temp thermostat....but, that is NOT the case...so, this is a case of the thermostat actually being set for the best fuel economy/performance....IE: Getting it up to optimum operating temperature ASAP.


You lost me here, my Nismo Themo was $60 vs what $10 for the stock version!! I was going off the gainls listed on the website thats what excited me and I was like ok if its made by nissan I doubt they are going to lie about their own performance products.... It said you get better HP/TQ and better MPG because its running colder, and it made since to me since in sience classes we always learned heat=energy loss....

So this $60 is a hunk of junk that will hurt the performance of my X?? DAMN you NISSAN for tricking me!!!! I am going to take it back and DEMAND a refund!!! And if I dont get one its on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You lost me here, my Nismo Themo was $60 vs what $10 for the stock version!! I was going off the gainls listed on the website thats what excited me and I was like ok if its made by nissan I doubt they are going to lie about their own performance products.... It said you get better HP/TQ and better MPG because its running colder, and it made since to me since in sience classes we always learned heat=energy loss....

So this $60 is a hunk of junk that will hurt the performance of my X?? DAMN you NISSAN for tricking me!!!! I am going to take it back and DEMAND a refund!!! And if I dont get one its on!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Bass Turds!

:D

It DOESN'T RUN COOLER THOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It just takes LONGER TO WARM UP...Once the thermostat OPENS...the coolant gets as hot as it would have with a 200 degree or what ever temp thermostat.

AGAIN, the thermostat DOES NOT CHANGE THE WATER TEMPERATURE...The Engine HEATS the coolant, and the radiator COOLS the coolant....

...and ALL the thermostat does, is open, and close...it opens when the coolant hits the magic temperature, and allows the radiator flow to commence....and that's IT...

So, lets say you start up the engine one fine February...and the thermostat holds the coolant in the block until the engine is warmed up, say 3 minutes...and you are running at 195 degrees....another minute or so, and you at 200, and stay at that the rest of the drive.

Now lets say its the same day, but with a spiffy $60 169 degree 'stat....

You start it up, and it stumbles along for maybe 2-3 minutes, hits 169 degrees, then stumbles along for another 5 minutes trying to get to 195 degrees, which it then hits...and the rest of the drive you will not know WHICH thermostat is in there, as an open 'stat is an open 'stat as far as the engine, and yourself would know.

Exceptions can include HIGHER FLOW/Lower resistance to flow designs...which, if getting TOO hot is a problem, the higher flow unit can get more coolant through the radiator at a time....sometimes.

:D

BTW - if you want to SEE lower range thermostats OTHER THAN the Nismo, just go to NAPA, PepBoys, etc...and look at the thermostats...they're all the same price for your engine, regardless of temp range.

:kalt-big:

You can save about $50-55 if you really really just want a colder thermostat.

)&*^)&*^)&*^)&*%$%$#^%%%$#*$#$(^%$(^%$^%$#*^%(&^))$@^*%&(&*^))*(&)(&)(&)(#&%*#^@^&!@#)^&#)(!@#)*!&@%$)!(*$!@$)!&$@^%)!*$@^%

ok.. that was a bunch of words i should be listing on the interweb!! time to go yell at NISSAN!!!

Do you know the standard operating temp of the engine?? I am going home and starting my electric fan install and I dont know what to set the on/off thermostat at..

sigh...

OK...

For the record...the thermostat DOES NOT CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE COOLANT........

............Let that sink in for a moment.

:bubblegum-big:



OK.

Now...

ALL the thermostat DOES DO is open, or close....and, it opens to let water flow through the radiator, so it can lose heat (Cool the water :chillpill: )....and it closes if the water is too cool.

Once its open...at 160 degrees, or 200 degree's, it simply STAYS open, unless the coolant gets colder again.

There are many factors that dictate wht the OPTIMUM temperature is to open or close at.

The primary issue is getting the engine up to operating temperature as soon as possible....:kalt-big:



If it stays cool longer, less oil gets to the upper cylinder areas, more hydrocarbons you paid $4/gallon for get blown out the tail pipe, etc.

:D

The engine management systems will lengthen the period that they see a cold engine, and, during that period, the tune will be ironically correct for the engine condition (Cold), but not optimal for performance or economy. (Slower and worse mpg...)

Some people think they will run cooler because they put in a colder range thermostat....which is a little like thinking they will be able to go faster with a speedometer that goes higher, etc.

So - ALL a colder range thermostat will do is make it take longer to warm up the engine, as the coolant will flow into the radiator sooner, and lose heat that it needed to get up to operating temperature.

:D

___________________________________________

Now, IF a colder thermostat were more expensive, THEN there would be pressure to use a cheaper higher temp thermostat....but, that is NOT the case...so, this is a case of the thermostat actually being set for the best fuel economy/performance....IE: Getting it up to optimum operating temperature ASAP.

:D

Hope that helps!

:wink-big:


Sorry, yes. Its a pain when you drive to work in the morning and your car doesnt get warm till you get to work...

Well i guess i'll put this to the test. I know with mine per the scanguage that it runs at 180-183 and the thermostat is 180 stock. I got an aftermarket 170 one and will try it since i'm doing the timing belt. If i don't like it i can put the oem one in that came with the kit.

Anybody got a good online source to buy a NISMO thermostat?

Nevermind. I just re-read TJTJ's post.

I have this thermostat from z31parts.com

http://www.z31parts.com/engineparts.html

(bottom of page).

What TJ writes and what the Scangauge tells me about my engine temperature are different. Stock readings were around 85 C highway on a mild day, 90 C on a scorcher. After the low-temp thermostat it pretty much sits at around 78 C all conditions and 85 C on a scorcher.

This unit was installed before I had a IMS installed (same company, same page).

Maybe it's high-flow then?

Yes, in winter a lower temp tstat sucks because it takes longer to heat up to operating temp. I've read some people swap them out to stock for the winter...I'm too lazy for that :)

Sooooooo, who's right? Which thermostat will make my X happier and perform better, stock or Nismo?

Bump for an old thread. Any one else with insight who actually installed this? Thanks.

I chickened out and went another stock one which is 180, not 195. You can pick up a 170 at autozone for $10 and save yourself some dough on the nismo one. BUt after consulting my cousin thats a ford mechanic he said its way too late in life for the 10 degrees to matter. He said it won't hurt a lot but my engine was already showing lots of gunk buildup from not getting heat up enough, there was quite a bit in the cam seals when we did the timing belt.

Oh an x-man, today per the scanguage i was running at 188 in 70 degree weather going down 205.

the really low temp stats are mainly for the track... its just so you can race, turn off the engine let it cool off and start it up again and have it open early so your water pump dosnt have to fight against it going down the strip (in theory). i have used both (stock and "hi-performance") in my old subruban that had a sbc, and the only thing i got out of the hi-per is crap for mpg. so unless you are running a 9 second street/strip drag car, the stock SHOULD give you best mpg at least.

the really low temp stats are mainly for the track... its just so you can race, turn off the engine let it cool off and start it up again and have it open early so your water pump dosnt have to fight against it going down the strip (in theory). i have used both (stock and "hi-performance") in my old subruban that had a sbc, and the only thing i got out of the hi-per is crap for mpg. so unless you are running a 9 second street/strip drag car, the stock SHOULD give you best mpg at least.

Yup.

:D

So, again for the newbies reading this:

1) The thermostat is just a port that opens to let the coolant flow through the engine block to the radiator....and closes to stop it from circulating.

You have one, because the engine would take a REALLY long time to warm up if the coolant ALWAYS circulated.


2) The thermostat stays closed until the engine reaches operating temperature (~ 195º F) - then it opens, and stays open, closing only if the engine cools again.


3) When it reaches that temperature, it opens, and lets the coolant circulate so it can go through the radiator.


4) If you run a colder thermostat, all that happens is that it opens sooner, so the engine is being cooled before its warmed up....and the heater vents blow colder air, longer, etc.


5) If your engine load was going to raise your temperature to 205º F for example, it will still go to that temperature and stay there under that load.

The reason is that the thermostat is already open since its set temperature (Whether that was 160º or 195º, etc...)...and the cooling system then works as normal with an open thermostat from that time forward.


The thermostat doesn't have an OPPORTUNITY to do anything again until you reduce the load/turn off the engine...etc.

At the point that the coolant is able to cool down as a result of passing through the radiator, etc...when it cools enough, THEN, because the coolant IS COOL, the thermostat closes again.


6) The COOLANT TEMPERATURE controls the thermostat, it opens, and closes, in response to the TEMPERATURE.

IT doesn't change the temperature, it REACTS to it.




7) IF the thermostat is a high flow design, and the restriction of flow at the THERMOSTAT was preventing adequate flow through the radiator...THEN, a freer flowing design can help improve cooling.

If the t-stat was NOT previously impeding flow enough to reduce your cooling capacity, a higher flowing t-stat will NOT help (It won't hurt either though).



8) This all means that unless you are racing, and need cooling flow to avoid fighting your water pump, etc....the stock TEMPERATURE, in a higher flow version, would be ideal as an objective.


9) Higher flow water pumps are ALSO spec'd for racing, and the additional cooling loads required, etc. The cooler temps also induce the engine computer to do things to the timing and fuel delivery, etc...which a racer likes...BUT, would need to TUNE the engine to take advantage of.


Hope that helps!


:wink-big:

Another reason to use a lower temp t-stat is to get more fuel into the engine. The engine runs cooler therefore the computer dumps a little more fuel in. Its sort of like the operation of a choke. Colder it wants more fuel. I had one in an old track GTV-6 I had and all it really seemed to do was foul the plugs unless I was using race fuel. Even then I really don't think it made that much difference in power. If you do replace the thermostat I suggest always using OE. The el cheapos from the parts stores don't seem to have a very quick response time. Meaning that the temp fluctuates because the stat opens or closes too fast or too slow. It doesn't cost that much in the long run to go ahead and buy the correct part and never give it a second thought because you know it should last as long as the 1st one did.

Paul