Replacing water pump/thermostat/housing
Replacing water pump/thermostat/housing 2002 WS6, stock LS1, 120k miles. Car overheated on the highway, towed back home and am going to start with replacing water pump, thermostat and housing.
Read some info on LS1 water pumps being replaced with LS2 pumps, and subsequently requiring different housing and thermostats? If I'm going to replace these 3 items on a stock motor, what is my best course of action?
I do have a Gates 33963 thermostat on hand, which I believe is the standard 186 degree thermostat for the stock LS1 pump and housing, but am not positive. I'm not set on using this thermostat if there are better options due to replacing all 3 components.
Also, the car was dyno-tuned with the stock thermostat, if that makes a difference.
Thanks for any help.
Read some info on LS1 water pumps being replaced with LS2 pumps, and subsequently requiring different housing and thermostats? If I'm going to replace these 3 items on a stock motor, what is my best course of action?
I do have a Gates 33963 thermostat on hand, which I believe is the standard 186 degree thermostat for the stock LS1 pump and housing, but am not positive. I'm not set on using this thermostat if there are better options due to replacing all 3 components.
Also, the car was dyno-tuned with the stock thermostat, if that makes a difference.
Thanks for any help.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 977
The Problem (ahem, "opportunity for a solution") is, some pumps are too shallow where the thermostat goes, and the stat bottoms out in them, and thus can't possibly work right.
No doubt a LS2 thermostat & housing would have a better chance of working in a LS2 pump than probably anything else. Not sure that that's materially any better than the LS1 stuff, unless it got modernized over those few years. Also not sure about things like the pump outlet orientation, pulley depth, etc. Would require paying close attention.
Shouldn't interact with the tune in any manner way shape form or fashion as long as it remains "stock". That is, AFAIK the running temp for a stock LS2 is the same as a stock LS1.
No doubt a LS2 thermostat & housing would have a better chance of working in a LS2 pump than probably anything else. Not sure that that's materially any better than the LS1 stuff, unless it got modernized over those few years. Also not sure about things like the pump outlet orientation, pulley depth, etc. Would require paying close attention.
Shouldn't interact with the tune in any manner way shape form or fashion as long as it remains "stock". That is, AFAIK the running temp for a stock LS2 is the same as a stock LS1.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 977
LS1 WP ... with a LS2 stat... THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE
the stat bottoms out in them, and thus can't possibly work right.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,191
Likes: 977
Not sure "AC Delco", or not, has anything to do with it... seems to be more an issue with mixing new stuff for one vintage with older from another... Butt I freely admit, I could be wrong. And mistaken on this particular point besides.
My point was "Why put something different on the engine when the ones that came on the LS1's work." I've never mixed/matched water pumps with thermostat housngs and don't see a reason or benefit for doing such a thing. I haven't ran into any issues with the ACDelco water pumps for the 98-02 4th Gen cars which was why I mentioned it. OP's issues could be something other than a water pump or stuck thermostat but that's where I'd start. The problem could be a clogged radiator, heater core, etc...
Trending Topics
I ended up going with the ACDelco 252-846 water pump, Dorman 902-836 housing and MotoRad 456-180 thermostat. Everything seems to go together, will be installing and flushing this weekend and hope this solves my overhearing problem.
My plan is to install without the thermostat and fill/drain a few times with distilled water until it drains clear, then install the thermostat, fill with Dex-Cool and keep an eye on it for the rest of the summer.
My plan is to install without the thermostat and fill/drain a few times with distilled water until it drains clear, then install the thermostat, fill with Dex-Cool and keep an eye on it for the rest of the summer.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo