Service time for water pump and thermostat question

[mcmike27]

I'm getting ready to yank and replace the factory original water pump and thermostat in our 98 986 which has 90k miles on it. I have read quite a bit about the positives on putting in the L&N Eng 160 thermostat. Only positives so far are there any 'gotchas' with not going with the factory part at 180 deg?

Please advise my trusted more knowing group.

Regards,

M2

[JFP in PA]

I'm getting ready to yank and replace the factory original water pump and thermostat in our 98 986 which has 90k miles on it. I have read quite a bit about the positives on putting in the L&N Eng 160 thermostat. Only positives so far are there any 'gotchas' with not going with the factory part at 180 deg?

Please advise my trusted more knowing group.

Regards,

M2

We have multiple customers running the 160 stat, and I have one in my own car as well. To date, I have not seen one downside to the lower temp stat, which also happens to be the same temp range used on the GT2 and 3 cars from the factory....................

[Steve Tinker]

I concur with JFP - I had Jake Raby send over the low temp thermostat to Australia and installed it with new Porsche coolant. Car warms up quicker, runs cooler and stays cooler in traffic longer. If you are in heavy traffic of course, the temps on the gauge still go up when the thermostat is fully open, but for normal open road driving, the (mostly) vague guage reads a couple of notches lower than it used to with the standard thermostat.

I'm assuming that if the coolant is cooler, so is the engine oil........

[brucenoah1956]

Does operating at a higher prcentage of time at lower temperature cause the ECM to keep fuel injection richer and lower MPG?

[JFP in PA]

Does operating at a higher prcentage of time at lower temperature cause the ECM to keep fuel injection richer and lower MPG?

No; if anything, I would expect MPG to go up (slight mileage improvement has been reported but not confirmed) due to improved thermal efficiency. Before and after dyno runs have noted slight, but measurable HP and torque numbers as well. Remember, the reason for the higher temperature OEM stat is for emissions, not performance............... And, your DME has more than enough “bandwidth” to bring the fuel/air back into spec without out any emission of inspection problems.

[kenn]

I tried to find some info on how to make the exchange, and didn't have much luck. Does anyone know how easy it is to install?

[1schoir]

I tried to find some info on how to make the exchange, and didn't have much luck. Does anyone know how easy it is to install?

Kenn:

If you get the LN Engineering Thermostat with housing, it only involves removing and replacing four 10mm bolts and the gasket. The most time consuming part will be taken up by refilling the coolant that was drained in the process. That's an easy task if you have a Ulift vacuum tool by Uview.

If you can source a 160 degree thermostat directly from Mahler, it's the same process, but then you have to remove (un-spring) the old thermostat from your OEM housing and then insert the new thermostat in its place. This requires a "special Porsche tool", but it's a tool that you can easily improvise.

The difference is in the price, with the LN Engineering thermostat and housing costing around $200.

Again, if you can source the thermostat by itself, it should cost considerably less.

Regards, Maurice.

[kenn]

Thanks Maurice! I've been planning to make the switch for a while and I think I'll get it done.

[JFP in PA]

I tried to find some info on how to make the exchange, and didn't have much luck. Does anyone know how easy it is to install?

Kenn:

If you get the LN Engineering Thermostat with housing, it only involves removing and replacing four 10mm bolts and the gasket. The most time consuming part will be taken up by refilling the coolant that was drained in the process. That's an easy task if you have a Ulift vacuum tool by Uview.

If you can source a 160 degree thermostat directly from Mahler, it's the same process, but then you have to remove (un-spring) the old thermostat from your OEM housing and then insert the new thermostat in its place. This requires a "special Porsche tool", but it's a tool that you can easily improvise.

The difference is in the price, with the LN Engineering thermostat and housing costing around $200.

Again, if you can source the thermostat by itself, it should cost considerably less.

Regards, Maurice.

Have you been able to actually source the 160 degree stat from Mahler? Reason I ask is that all of the 160 stats i have seen, including those from LN are MotoRad units. I contacted MotoRad directly and was told that unit was "not available" in the US...................

You should also be aware that LN makes the thermostat available separately (no housing), but only in ten packs (which includes the replacement tool), which is cheaper in the long run for a shop or possible "group buy". Just a thought....

Edited December 19, 2009 by JFP in PA

[jmatta]

I have been running the LN 160 stat for the last year without issue. My car needed a coolant change anyway, so it was one those "while you're in there" things to do. I do not drive the car in the winter, but noticed no ill effects throughout the summer and enjoyed lower temps which equates to lower oil temps; the big benefit here to engine longevity (along with 10W40 quality synthetic). I now have 17k miles on the car for reference.

[70Sixter]

I'm going with the LNE part when I change coolant in the spring.

I try to split my business between Charles Navarro at LN and Jake Raby and support them both because of the effort they have put into the M96 engine.

I've already have the spin-on oil filter adapter and am very pleased with the quality.

If you don't know, they have both been well known and respected in the 914 community for a long time.

[valfam]

I know this is a old post but why do I need to use the LN Engineering housing can I not just buy the thermostat and install it in the original housing? I would like to get mine running a little cooler, I'm also getting the 3rd radiator kit.

[JFP in PA]

I know this is a old post but why do I need to use the LN Engineering housing can I not just buy the thermostat and install it in the original housing? I would like to get mine running a little cooler, I'm also getting the 3rd radiator kit.

You can do that, provided you either have, or can fabricate the tool required to take the thermostat out of the housing.

To do a clean install on the third radiator, you will also need to fab up some adaptors as the "S" cars have different diameter hoses and lines in the front of the car. There is also a really neat work around for this, a company called Precision Chassis Works makes modified front hard lines that have he hose size adaptor already welded in:

They sell these lines complete,or will do yours. They also sell a kit for those with aluminum welding skills. You can read more here: http://www.precisionchassisworks.com/boxster-cooling-line-modification.html

[valfam]

I know this is a old post but why do I need to use the LN Engineering housing can I not just buy the thermostat and install it in the original housing? I would like to get mine running a little cooler, I'm also getting the 3rd radiator kit.

You can do that, provided you either have, or can fabricate the tool required to take the thermostat out of the housing.

To do a clean install on the third radiator, you will also need to fab up some adaptors as the "S" cars have different diameter hoses and lines in the front of the car. There is also a really neat work around for this, a company called Precision Chassis Works makes modified front hard lines that have he hose size adaptor already welded in:

They sell these lines complete,or will do yours. They also sell a kit for those with aluminum welding skills. You can read more here: http://www.precisionchassisworks.com/boxster-cooling-line-modification.html

Thanks for the info but Is there a benefit to using the LN water neck? Is the OEM prone to crack?

I thought when you bought the radiator kit it came with the new hoses. http://www.suncoastparts.com/product/996thirdradia.html?Category_Code=996WaterCooling

[Ahsai]

Forget about the original housing. You can get a plug-and-play NEW housing that comes with the low temp thermostat installed from Pelican (Wahler or MotoRad)

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/PEL_search.cgi?command=show_part_page&please_wait=N&make=POR&model=986M&section=WATpmp&page=1&bookmark=5&part_number=996-106-013-59-M902

Quite reasonably priced.

[JFP in PA]

I know this is a old post but why do I need to use the LN Engineering housing can I not just buy the thermostat and install it in the original housing? I would like to get mine running a little cooler, I'm also getting the 3rd radiator kit.

You can do that, provided you either have, or can fabricate the tool required to take the thermostat out of the housing.

To do a clean install on the third radiator, you will also need to fab up some adaptors as the "S" cars have different diameter hoses and lines in the front of the car. There is also a really neat work around for this, a company called Precision Chassis Works makes modified front hard lines that have he hose size adaptor already welded in:

They sell these lines complete,or will do yours. They also sell a kit for those with aluminum welding skills. You can read more here: http://www.precisionchassisworks.com/boxster-cooling-line-modification.html

Thanks for the info but Is there a benefit to using the LN water neck? Is the OEM prone to crack?

I thought when you bought the radiator kit it came with the new hoses. http://www.suncoastparts.com/product/996thirdradia.html?Category_Code=996WaterCooling

The LN housing is much like the factory, but with subtle refinements. Nice unit, but if you are on a budget, you can use the factory piece, and they are not prone to cracking.

The 3rd radiator kit does come with hoses, but they are larger in inside diameter than the ones on your car. The cars that came factory with the 3rd radiator have larger diameter hoses and aluminum hard lines; the hoses that come with the kit will not seal to your hard lines due to the size difference and they will leak, which is why Precision came up with this fix. And they are replacement hard lines, not hoses.

[valfam]

I know this is a old post but why do I need to use the LN Engineering housing can I not just buy the thermostat and install it in the original housing? I would like to get mine running a little cooler, I'm also getting the 3rd radiator kit.

You can do that, provided you either have, or can fabricate the tool required to take the thermostat out of the housing.

To do a clean install on the third radiator, you will also need to fab up some adaptors as the "S" cars have different diameter hoses and lines in the front of the car. There is also a really neat work around for this, a company called Precision Chassis Works makes modified front hard lines that have he hose size adaptor already welded in:

They sell these lines complete,or will do yours. They also sell a kit for those with aluminum welding skills. You can read more here: http://www.precisionchassisworks.com/boxster-cooling-line-modification.html

Thanks for the info but Is there a benefit to using the LN water neck? Is the OEM prone to crack?

I thought when you bought the radiator kit it came with the new hoses. http://www.suncoastparts.com/product/996thirdradia.html?Category_Code=996WaterCooling

The LN housing is much like the factory, but with subtle refinements. Nice unit, but if you are on a budget, you can use the factory piece, and they are not prone to cracking.

The 3rd radiator kit does come with hoses, but they are larger in inside diameter than the ones on your car. The cars that came factory with the 3rd radiator have larger diameter hoses and aluminum hard lines; the hoses that come with the kit will not seal to your hard lines due to the size difference and they will leak, which is way Precision came up with this fix. And they are replacement hard lines, not hoses.

Thank you very much for the information I guess I have something else to do. :-) I'm so glad I joined this group.

[valfam]

Forget about the original housing. You can get a plug-and-play NEW housing that comes with the low temp thermostat installed from Pelican (Wahler or MotoRad)

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/PEL_search.cgi?command=show_part_page&please_wait=N&make=POR&model=986M&section=WATpmp&page=1&bookmark=5&part_number=996-106-013-59-M902

Quite reasonably priced.

Thanks for the link.