180 Deg. Thermo. Attn: Jon S.

From: fawcett@uism.bu.edu
Date: Fri May 22 1998 - 11:04:21 EDT


     I just got off the phone with the Stant-Thompson Tech. line
     (800-894-7310) trying to confirm I got the right part # for my '98 Dak
     with the 5.2L 318... The reason I called is my local Pep Boys
     recommended p/n 59358 for a 180 deg. heavy duty thermo. and I noted in
     your (great!) instructions that your p/n was 65358... Well, first the
     guy wanted to know why I wanted to put a 180 in the truck as a 195 is
     called for. When I told him I wanted mainly to eliminate some minor
     pinging and secondarily to perhaps get a little more HP, he basically
     said I was all wet! He said the lower temp. thermo. would screw-up my
     emissions because the computer would think the engine was always cold
     and run in a rich condition --like having the choke on all the time...
     When I pressed him a little bit to just find out if this thing would
     fit before I started ripping into the engine... he wouldn't tell me!
     Said I couldn't trick him into recommending the wrong part for the
     engine and I should take it to the dealer (he's either wound too tight
     or he's on the wrong side of the paranoia line!)...
     
     Soooooo what gives? Is this a good, bad or marginal mod for the
     truck? My main goal is to eliminate some minor pinging and if this is
     part of the cure how do I find out what the right p/n is for a '98 as
     even the manufacturer won't tell me?! Also, what's the opinion from
     the list of what this guy is telling me?
     
     Thanks.
     
     T.
     Boston, MA



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