1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
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I've been bragging about going through five Saabs in 20 years and never having to replace even one thermostat, but that enviable record is history. Mine stuck open Friday night during our first cool spell of the year (a frigid 50° at the time), and the condition didn't improve Saturday.
Since there is no dealer here, against my better judgment I checked with Napa and was shocked to find the correct part in stock. In fact, they had two temperature specs to choose from. The new $7 'stat (Napa "Heavy-duty" #239) looks very much like the old, so much so that it may be the same manufacturer, except it lacks a small bleed hole of unknown functionality. Their books said that a 180° 'stat is stock for my '95 Aero, but this is incorrect, and I bought the "high-temp" 'stat that specs out at 192-195°, right there with the stock spec of 194°. I don't want a cooler 'stat since so much of the electronics on the car homes in on coolant temps, and there might be a reduction of efficiency going to a cooler spec.
Getting to the 'stat is a hassle that most of you have likely witnessed, and I was surprised to find that there was no conventional gasket used. The old 'stat had a rubber lip seal around the periphery but the new one didn't, and the separate conventional gasket I bought didn't match up to the bolt pattern or opening. So I pried the old seal off and reinstalled it on the new 'stat without breaking it, as it appeared to be in good shape. To make sure of a good seal I used some Permatex Hylomar, an excellent non-hardening sealer, on the housing surfaces.
Now, about this business of Bar's Leaks creating deposits: Baloney. My 'stat and all components I examined were squeaky clean, as if the car had 20 miles on it. BL has been installed since I bought the car 3½ years ago. My '66 Corvette's original 'stat died earlier this year and its system was also clean as a whistle with BL in use for the last 20 years. An important point to make here is that my systems are all *well maintained*!
If y'all will recall, I have a VDO water-temp gauge installed in the dash with the sender located downstream of the 'stat on the upper rad hose. This arrangement gives the ability to diagnose thermostat problems, as when normally functioning the stock gauge will rise first, then the VDO will follow after the thermostat opens. The stock gauge will achieve a normal level before the VDO even moves. Friday and yesterday, the stock and VDO gauges were moving together, and both moved very slowly, which clearly indicated that the 'stat was stuck open when the coolant was cold. After driving 10 miles on the I-10 it still wasn't showing normal water temp on either gauge. If the 'stat sticks closed, I presume the stock gauge would rise and the VDO would show an abnormally cool temp, but I haven't experienced this yet.
posted by 68.11.251...
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