[net.auto.tech] thermostadts which cry "WOLF!"

ted@imsvax.UUCP (Ted Holden) (10/21/85)

My 83 Celica has one design feature which I disapprove of, and I figure it must
be a common feature of most new cars;  the dealership parts people look at me
like I'm crazy when I ask about it.  The thermostadt wants to bring the engine
up to running temp FAST, and so stays shut until the engine is on the verge of
overheating (the needle on the temp-guage almost in red), then opens suddenly,
the needle falling back abruptly.  I don't like this at all;  it's like the 
boy in the fairy-tale who cried "WOLF!".  I mean, sooner or later, the engine
is going to really overheat, and the owner, thinking it's just the thermostadt
doing its usual thing, is not going to react fast enough and end up buying
an engine instead of a $30 water pump or whatever.  Does anyone make a 
non-wolf-crying thermostadt for Toyotas?  Is there any serious reason for
not running one of these newer cars WITHOUT the thermostadt?  I would 
appreciate some help with this one.

wjh@bonnie.UUCP (Bill Hery) (10/23/85)

> 
> My 83 Celica has one design feature which I disapprove of.....
> ........................         The thermostadt wants to bring the engine
> up to running temp FAST, and so stays shut until the engine is on the verge of
> overheating (the needle on the temp-guage almost in red), then opens suddenly,
> the needle falling back abruptly.  

Are you sure it's supposed to run like that?   I've noticed on my old Datsun 510
that the temp guage reacted the same way when the coolant level was low.

kitten@hao.UUCP (10/29/85)

> My 83 Celica has one design feature which I disapprove of, and I figure it must
> be a common feature of most new cars;  the dealership parts people look at me
> like I'm crazy when I ask about it.  The thermostadt wants to bring the engine
> up to running temp FAST, and so stays shut until the engine is on the verge of
> overheating (the needle on the temp-guage almost in red), then opens suddenly,
> the needle falling back abruptly.  I don't like this at all;  it's like the 
> boy in the fairy-tale who cried "WOLF!".  I mean, sooner or later, the engine
> is going to really overheat, and the owner, thinking it's just the thermostadt
> doing its usual thing, is not going to react fast enough and end up buying
> an engine instead of a $30 water pump or whatever.  Does anyone make a 
> non-wolf-crying thermostadt for Toyotas?  Is there any serious reason for
> not running one of these newer cars WITHOUT the thermostadt?  I would 
> appreciate some help with this one.

**
It sounds like it's simply a matter of getting a t-stat of a lower tempature,
say 180 degrees to replace a 190 degree t-stat.  Yours is probably sticking,
and since the things only cost a few bucks (plus the gasket) I highly recommend
you get it replaced *immediately*

{ucbvax!hplabs | allegra!nbires | decvax!noao | harpo!seismo | ihnp4!noao}
       		        !hao!kitten

CSNET: kitten@NCAR  ARPA: kitten%ncar@CSNET-RELAY

ahs@burl.UUCP (Spinks Albert H. ) (10/30/85)

> 
> My 83 Celica has one design feature which I disapprove of, and I figure it must
> be a common feature of most new cars;  the dealership parts people look at me
> like I'm crazy when I ask about it.  The thermostadt wants to bring the engine
> up to running temp FAST, and so stays shut until the engine is on the verge of
> overheating (the needle on the temp-guage almost in red), then opens suddenly,
> the needle falling back abruptly.  I don't like this at all;  it's like the 
> boy in the fairy-tale who cried "WOLF!".  I mean, sooner or later, the engine
> is going to really overheat, and the owner, thinking it's just the thermostadt
> doing its usual thing, is not going to react fast enough and end up buying
> an engine instead of a $30 water pump or whatever.  Does anyone make a 
> non-wolf-crying thermostadt for Toyotas?  Is there any serious reason for
> not running one of these newer cars WITHOUT the thermostadt?  I would 
> appreciate some help with this one.

*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
Ever since the pollution control standards have come out, I have found that
my new cars have been designed to run quite hot, evidently to reduce the
polluting effect of the motor.  The heigh temperatures have led to problems,
such as early deterioration of the hoses and other rubberized parts.
Therefore at the most convenient time, usually when the first thermostat
became defective, I have replaced the high temp thermostat with a lower
value one, 160 to 170 range.  The motor ran better, parts lasted longer,
etc.  It probobly was less efficient and more polluting, but I was unable
to detect it.   Anyway, you could probobly do the same thing with your
new car and have the same satisfactory results.
-- 




				     Albert H. Spinks - 71BU072120