thermostat housing

[margo]

I have a gasket, a thermostat, a plastic sleeve with 2 cutouts on it, and a 0 ring...Does anyone know what order these parts go into the housing, from the intake up...Getting different opinions, no one knows for sure...Also what temp thermostat should i run in a 350 vortek engine... thanks Joe

[Carbo]

You need to give a little more info.....what kind of motor? Mercruiser? Year? I sounds like mercuiser and usually there is a thin cork ring that goes in first..then the thermostat...then the plastic sleeve which has a notch for alighnment and then the whole assy mounts to the intake with a gasket.

[margo]

It,s a 350 vortek merc. When i took it out it was gasket, tstat, plastic and gasket from manifold into housing...Looked it up online and it showed it the way you discribed..Useing a 160 tstat it seems to run on the hot side when installed either way..Any ideas???

[Carbo]

Little more info.....bravo? Alpha? If bravo replace the impeller in the sea water pump, Alpha do an impeller in the drive........160 degree tstat should run right at 160.....proper temp is 160. Did you have an impeller failure? Did you account for all pieces? How old are the manifolds and risers???That is where all your cooling water exits and if restricted temp goes up....Bravos also have that bad water neck problem at the transom assy......

[Cuda]

Throw the t stat away.
That's one less thing that can go wrong.
Is it carbed or EFI?

[MOP]

Margo try this link to see if it matched your setup!

Phil

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...8Easy+Drain%29

P. S. if you are running in a higher temp area a 140 may be a better choice then the 160.

[BUIZILLA]

you NEED the thermostat

look up the parts profile on Mercruiserparts.com or dougrussell.com and assemble the parts in that fashion

do not leave out the thermostat, it should be 143*

[margo]

thanks everyone,i just ordered a 142 degree...new impeller and prop seal last yr. alpha drive, 350 vortek crate engine, edel man and carb..I saw the links on the install, will put it the way merc shows, even though it was in with the tstat on the intake then sleeve and gasket...Boat ran great with the new man and carb, had a 2 barrel before..Picked up 5mph from 55 to 60..1986 minx,love it....Joe

[margo]

Margo try this link to see if it matched your setup!

Phil

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...8Easy+Drain%29

P. S. if you are running in a higher temp area a 140 may be a better choice then the 160.

Hey Phil if i,m guessing right soixante-neuf is 69 right or wrong..Joe

[Carbo]

You can run what you want but for a Vortec motor the "proper" thermostat is the 160 degree........140 was for the older motors......

[margo]

You can run what you want but for a Vortec motor the "proper" thermostat is the 160 degree........140 was for the older motors......

I understand what your saying, but if it,s running on the hot side wouldn,t it be somewhere in the neighborhood of 160...Without any the gauge doesen,t even budge so i don,t think ther are any restrictions...Thanks for the input ...Joe

[Carbo]

If it is running hotter than 160 with a 160 thermostat you still have something wrong. Running a colder thermostat or no thermostat is a band aid.

[BUIZILLA]

i've had 4 Vortec's...

they ALL came with 143* from the factory with RWC

the 160 was in the FWC versions

you don't want a 160 in salt water cooled...

[Carbo]

i've had 4 Vortec's...

they ALL came with 143* from the factory with RWC

the 160 was in the FWC versions

you don't want a 160 in salt water cooled...

I work on mercruiser's all day long.......every Vortec mercruiser I saw after '96 uses a 160 degree.....just looked in the application guide.

Fact is he should run what is supposed to be in his motor.....

[thehow33]

If it is running hotter than 160 with a 160 thermostat you still have something wrong. Running a colder thermostat or no thermostat is a band aid.

Not always true. But I do agree it's a band aid if there actually is a problem.