60 or 72 degree Thermostat. Which?

[Limecc]

I'm going to buy a new thermostat for my Suzuki 50. When checking the part numbers there is a 72 degrees option instead of the 60 degree one.

Can anyone please explain where each one would be used? Can't seem to find this info anywhere.

[Sutty]

Most engines run better or more efficiently the warmer they are especially when they are under no load, so if you do a lot of pottering around or trolling I would think the higher temperature would be better.

[mikehhogg]

some manufacturers have different thermostats for their two strokes and four strokes, though at this moment unsure which is which

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by mikehhogg

some manufacturers have different thermostats for their two strokes and four strokes, though at this moment unsure which is which

In this case they are both for four strokes and the same part is shared between a number of larger Suzuki engines.

Someone with a DF90 asked the same question on the Suzuki outboard forum, no recommendations even from Suzuki techs. I think I'm going to order the hotter stat, should keep the oil better when pottering about and trolling as Sutty says.

Blighty generally has cold waters, 20 degC or more and the 60 deg thermostat is probably best.

[mikehhogg]

if they are both four strokes then the logical explanation would be the water in which they are used,for example a lake in Iceland v persian gulf where there could be a thirty degree Celsius difference.. The aim is to get the engine up to optimum operation temperature under normal use.