Those of us living in the "sub-arctic" conditions here in the northern USA
used to drain and flush the cooling systems twice a year. In the Spring the
anti-freeze would be drained, water put in and a new 160 degree (fahrenheit)
thermostat would be installed. Come Fall (October) the water would be drained
out and replaced with anti-freeze and a 180 degree thermostat installed for
the winter.
So back then, we replaced thermostats twice a year. Oddly, I never had a
thermostat fail on me except on Ford products using Ford OEM thermostats-then
they would fail every 18 months to years.
However, when I planned long trips (250 miles) in the summer, I would remove
the thermostat. The people at Rootes told me not to do this as the water
would circulate too fast and not cool the engine-but it seemed to work good
for me.
Jan
"Russell & Neola" <rmaddock@petrie.hotkey.net.au> wrote:
I've had a bad run with thermostats too. I had to replace three on my Alpine
during restoration before I even got to drive it on the road! I gave up and
removed it altogether too. I'll try one again once I've got the car sorted.
I'm beginning to think all the thermostats on sale here are cr*p.
Russ Maddock
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunbeams hit the Gold Coast in June 2001 - www.qld.sunbeam.org.au/national
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rick Harrison" <beamertwo@hotmail.com>
To: <alpines@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2001 12:25 AM
Subject: thermostat woes
> Dear listers,(apparently the massage didn't come through last time)
>
> What is it with me and thermostats? One failed on my wife's Hillman
Gazelle,
> one failed on my Alpine a few years ago and now ...
> I had a meeting to go to on the other side of Sydney (about a 90 minute
> trip) and was about half-way there when I noticed the temperature gauge
> slightly above where it would normally be - no real concern I (foolishly)
> thought, I'll check the coolant level when I get there. A few minutes
later
> - temperature a little higher - well, the traffic is a bit thicker -
that's
> just normal (fool!). In heavy traffic in the middle lane going up a long
> hill and suddenly the temperature gauge needle is looking for numbers that
> aren't there. It was impossible to pull over, so I gritted my teeth and
made
> it to the top of the hill and immediately switched off to coast down the
> hill. Then bang! the top radiator hose blew - fortunately I managed to
pull
> over into the only place available for miles. On checking the boot (trunk)
I
> only had a spare bottom radiator hose - so I cut it up to make a
reasonable
> impression of a top hose, removed that nasty little thermostat, bolted
> everything back together (Why do these things always happen when you're
> wearing your best suit?) refilled with water and drove off hoping the head
> gasket was intact - and yes, it seems it managed to survive. I got to the
> meeting a little late, but that was no big deal.
> Maybe I should just go back to running without a thermostat - like I did
for
> many years - but then again my (now becoming older) bones enjoy the
heater -
> even if it's only my feet that get the benefit.
> After all that I have two questions for everyone:
> 1) How often does everyone replace their thermostat?
> 2) Is there a particular brand (hopefully available in Australia) that is
> reliable?
>
> Rick Harrison
>
> PS: Many, many belated thanks to "Blue" for the Vizard info.
> _________________________________________________________________________
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