Decent thermostats?

Question

I used to like Robertshaw but I can't figure out where they went.

I replaced the OEM-looking 'stat in my wife's '94 Acclaim with a Stant last year. The temperature went from rock-steady at all times to very, very variable, sometimes approaching overheating when I'd idle in a parking lot after a good drive. Looking at the brand-new Stant in front of me next to the OEM-looking oldie, it's obvious the flow hole in the Stant is considerably smaller.

Went to AutoZone and they sell three no-name brands, all of which looked to me like cheap tin stampings (though they had about the right size of flow hole) so I took a pass.

The rubber bushings (!) in the OEM-looking 'stat are cracked badly, or I'd put it back in.

So who (preferably in meatspace) sells decent auto thermostats?

Tegger · Accepted Answer

clifto  wrote innews:     It's been my experience that the only thermostats worth considering are those sold by the dealer.Whether this is true for American cars the way it is for Japanese, I cannot say.

larry moe 'n curly · Answer

A plumbing supply or real hardware store may have rubber bushings or washers that fit.

I won't buy an aftermarket thermostats or radiator caps because of my experience with the former and my father's with the latter. My father's car gushed coolant with two aftermarket caps but worked fine when he took the OEM cap off his other car.

larry moe 'n curly · Answer

What about those Stant thermostats that are warranted for life andcost a lot more than the other Stant thermostats?   Is the extra costjust for the warranty, or are they actually better?

John S. · Answer

I think you have identified the problem and the solution. Just buy a replacement from the dealer rather than an after-market substitute that apparently does not have the same specifications. Don't reuse a thermostat gasket or seal...ever....

Neil Nelson · Answer

'Superstat'

clifto · Answer

In my case, their best premium thermostat had the same size bore as theone I put in the car and the new one I haev here. The bore is too small.

clifto · Answer

I may have to, but it'll probably cost $30. What this country needs is aquality aftermarket auto parts manufacturer.Preaching to the choir. :)

AZ Nomad · Answer

autozone sells crap.Try NAPA or the dealer.  Worse case, you'd pay about $25 more.

larry moe 'n curly · Answer

Do factory thermostats normally last 22 years?  I last tested mine twoyears ago by heating it in a pot of water and verified that it startedto open at 180F and was fully open by least 8mm at 200F.

clifto · Answer

Seems like the average thermostat that I've seen doesn't have much that can go wrong with it other than fatigue, which is going to be variable from one manufacturing process and one parts run to another.

Comboverfish · Answer

That's a bit of a stretch, but anything is possible. I've found many older thermostats fail due to a spot weld breaking on one side of the cage, which results in constant coolant flow and a very cold engine. Of course there was a time when you could reap the benefits of a broken tstat shortly after installation, if you happened to by one from the Chrysler dealer. Saw that in the mid '90s, and I was told it wasn't just a small, localized issue.

Toyota MDT in MO

Decent thermostats?

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?