engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

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engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #60 – February 05, 2016, 05:07:39 PM

I've never used a fail safe thermostat. They tend to stick open and cause an over-cooling issue. I just buy a good quality replacement, like this: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/stant-superstat-premium-thermostat-195-degrees-fahrenheit-45359/5653576-P?navigationPath=L1*14922%7CL2*15023%7CL3*15971

Go to Advance Auto, buy one, and swap it in. DO NOT drill any holes in it. This should help your issue.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #61 – February 05, 2016, 06:59:57 PM

All the newer stuff use a T-stat that allows no circulation until it opens... Mostly a emissions thing that gives a faster warm up, but does give better heater operation... Last I remember there weren't dozens of cars littered along the highway that had overheated...

Other than burping, I don't see any thermostat with a hole as beneficial... If hole is large enough to reduce overheating, it's also large enough to prevent warmup in cold weather...

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #62 – February 05, 2016, 09:38:34 PM

Quote from: thunderjet302;453696

I've never used a fail safe thermostat. They tend to stick open and cause an over-cooling issue.

I've used one and yes, they suck.......I mean stuck open. I had 93' Tempo with the same non heating issue, replaced T-stat numerous times, replaced the heater core, nothing fixed the problem. Apparently, it had always had that problem and my wife's grandfather (who bought the car new) just dealt with it.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #63 – February 06, 2016, 09:05:33 AM

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;453699

If hole is large enough to reduce overheating, it's also large enough to prevent warmup in cold weather...

brilliant I say!!!!!!!!!

that sounds like one of those types of answers I would get from my navy C school instructor,, which was also my professor in tech school,,, he tended to give you the answer that was right in front of your face the whole time but sorta indirectly, yet give it to you in a way that you had no other recourse other than to say,,, yeah,, im a dumb ass,,

your right,,,, I should have figured this out by now.
ive known all along since buying this car that I found it odd it had the failsafe stat, I will switch and see what gives.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #64 – February 06, 2016, 10:02:43 AM

LOL, Scott last thing I think is you are a DA, but you do tend to overthink on occasion... Oddly I've been accused myself a time or two...

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #65 – February 06, 2016, 12:38:09 PM

Better to overthink things, than to not think about them near enough.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #66 – February 08, 2016, 09:06:45 PM

was kidding up there tom , but like the way you say things.

so ,, I changed that tstat and to point out to the hole I drilled, I remembered from last fall that I just grabbed any rather small bit then simply pulled up early as soon as the tip punched through. the hole is prob the diameter of a tiny finishing nail... but pretty dead on with 3/32

bad part here is that that when I bought this new tstat from this past saturday and looked at it there was no fail safe so back in the box it went. then when I pulled it out of the box at home,,, apparently they are hiding the failsafe up under the pointy metal part tucked nicely up in a hidy hole area.

normally you can just simply see the fail safe on the out skirts of the outer part of the stat,, so I ended up putting this one in anyway which sucks because I have the same problem, granted I do have about 115deg air now,, I can honestly tell exactly when the stat opens up because my air coming out the vents cools down a few degrees.

so,, I simply need to do what was mentioned,,, find one without a failsafe dingle berry I guess.

all the way up to clarion pa today not one time did I ever feel reasonable pressure on my upper hose and my lower half of the radiator stayed ice cold. outside air was in most cases like 44 degF.

im about clueless at the moment except for the task of finding the correct stat. I think its affecting my fuel economy as well, im only getting like 20 to 21mpg,, usually I do 24 dead on in hills and mountains.

my computer thinks its still a cold motor I guess

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #67 – February 08, 2016, 09:38:33 PM

Buy this one: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/stant-superstat-premium-thermostat-195-degrees-fahrenheit-45359/5653576-P?navigationPath=L1*14922|L2*15023|L3*15971

It is not fail safe but it will work fine. Give up on the fail safe thermostats

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #68 – February 08, 2016, 10:07:05 PM

I buy the cheapest ones available. Not sure I've had fail in less then 5 years.

Make sure it is a 192-195° stat. The computer has to see a minimum of 180° to run in open loop at all.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #69 – February 08, 2016, 10:26:23 PM

Quote from: thunderjet302;453768

Buy this one: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/stant-superstat-premium-thermostat-195-degrees-fahrenheit-45359/5653576-P?navigationPath=L1*14922|L2*15023|L3*15971

It is not fail safe but it will work fine. Give up on the fail safe thermostats

I have a big issue with advance,, its personal... and I almost posted a thread about it but it would end up being one of those threads that becomes word heavy.
short and sweet, advance does not have lifetime parts warranty!,, point blank.
I tried to take receipts from back as far as 1996 to advance and their computers wont allow me to use my receipt because their system wont go back that far.
best part is , their warranty does not cover normal wear and tear.
I got a .xls document from corp advance in Roanoke va showing all purchases I made yet their system only went back as far as 2001 showing I spent about 10k in parts across several vehicles , brought that to the local advance as a courtesy on my part to help them out before I made a large purchase.
the whole facility / staff there told me that "advance doesn't give customers this information".
basically all I wanted to do was buy about 1500$ in parts from advance and cash in on a couple tie rod ends, a steering rack, a water pump, a couple other items that came in around what I speculated to be about 300$ in stuff. I wanted to simply cash in on all the receipt collecting I did now that we are building chances car which is my white coug.
I got totally rejected. I wanted a steering rack and they wanted to know if its defective.. I said its life lifetime and last i felt it , It did feel odd. They told me we dont cover normal wear and tear.

I continued to try to understand their view as an example I said "when I want an item like a water pump I have a choice to pay for a cheap or new more pricey unit. it was my understanding that im paying you a premium for a new unit so that when I get a free replacement , Ive paid something of a small insurance policy plus money it takes to get a brand new unit. You guys gamble on the idea that only 10% of the public will keep receipts or track this stuff so you win 90% of the time".. they told me no that's not the case.

autozone does cover normal wear and tear and has a real lifetime warranty. after 20years of trusting my local advance, collecting receipts, being organized and such I find I wasted all my time doing so.

I purchased this stat from autozone,, and if I have to I will get the stat from advance but I have reservations on their current business model lately.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #70 – February 08, 2016, 10:37:46 PM

I suppose it boils down to one day I purchase brake pads and the ol' guy there "ernie" asked me,, "scott, you want the cheapy or good ones", I said I want the best pads. ernie said "well at least you wont ever have to buy them again, they're life time you know". I tried to return old pads and they didn't take them back because of normal wear and tear... that started the sour taste they left in my mouth a few years ago. I felt like there is no way you can "really" get a benefit from shopping at advance. since all the box parts stores are diving in the same vendor honey holes,, I find it for the time being better to stop going to advance all the way around, or as a last resort.

ive learned a lot about this stuff while getting screwed over.. I learned that when you decide to cash in on your lifetime warranty, the store takes the hit on their overall performance stats, and they have a vested interest in vetting each return. I get it, its business but, they know me by name and my shopping habits and loyalty, why not vet the consumers at the local level and make special judgment calls for long lifetime loyal customers like me,,,, well something about advance changed sometime a short while ago because they almost seem like a different kind of store anymore.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #71 – February 09, 2016, 12:12:17 AM

You don't have to buy the thermostat at Advance. The point I'm trying to make is you need to buy a quality thermostat like a Stant or Motorcraft rated at 195°. DO NOT buy any thermostat with "Fail Safe" in the name or on the box. Those thermostats are junk and always pass coolant even when shut. If you don't want to go to Advance go to NAPA and get a 195° thermostat. Just please stay away from the "fail safe" thermostats.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #72 – February 09, 2016, 03:38:12 AM

The car already bypasses coolant into the heater core as well.

To be honest, I've tried to blow my motors up by overheating and abusing them. These old 302's are pretty tough as long as ya keep oil inside of them.

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #73 – February 09, 2016, 09:11:05 AM

Quote from: jcassity;453767

was kidding up there tom , but like the way you say things.

Remember I AM from Greenbrier Co...

Quote from: jcassity;453767

my computer thinks its still a cold motor I guess

As soon as computer is seeing voltage change from o2 sensors it goes into closed loop, motor temp could only be 100-120*...

Quote from: jcassity;453773

I suppose it boils down to one day I purchase brake pads and the ol' guy there "ernie" asked me,, "scott, you want the cheapy or good ones", I said I want the best pads. ernie said "well at least you wont ever have to buy them again, they're life time you know". I tried to return old pads and they didn't take them back because of normal wear and tear... .

Yeah I heard that from my local Adv(got one within walking distance), I said "no worry, next time I come in whatever it is will be broken"...

And as stated on T-stat, buy a regular Stant or Motorcraft etc...

engine running too cool *solved- installed non failsafe tstat

Reply #74 – February 10, 2016, 04:50:48 AM

yeah,, what I really need to do is find the time to find the right way to be able to walk in and get the right part.... as it is now, I am on the road so much and im giving up to easily. I'll check the napa up here in clarion pa for the right stat, then the dealership who told me to not come back,, maybe I will tell them I returning their card board.

on a lighter note though,, I did end up fixing a minor electrical gremlin while doing the stat change this past weekend. Someone once upon a time (tom) said to put your car on AM band then wiggle test wiring till you hear pop crackle noises in the speakers.... that worked perfect .