Thermostat Re: [Shotimes] Bought a 91 SHO, some questions

[George Fourchy]

On Sun, 16 Feb 2003 15:31:22 -0600, John Weidenbenner wrote:

>If anything, the Ford thermostat has been a
>high failure component. Most Ford Rev. B thermostats are lucky to make it
>through 3 years. I've had a Stant working properly for 5 years. It took 3
>Ford thermostats to get through the first 5 years.

It's perfectly fine for you to disagree with me.  I purposely use very wide
generalities when I make statements on this list like the one I did in this thread. 
I know I am not speaking for everyone, and I make sure that fact is obvious when I
say that "A few have found various aftermarket ones work OK....."   I said that for
a very specific reason, so that anyone with your experience would not have a reason
to think I was arguing.  There are many hundreds of us on this list, and there are
that many opinions when someone asks for advice on using a specific part.

That said....the Lowrider has been running its current Ford factory equipment
thermostat for almost three years, and the one before that did not fail, contrary to
what I believed at the time.  The apparent excessive engine cooling I was
encountering when I changed it was due to the temp sender timing out its lifespan. 
I changed the thermostat first, and there was no change in the indication, but the
sender fixed the problem, with the gauge again reading at the A, like I want it to. 
The previous thermostat was over 5 years old, and was installed prior to the first
100K miles, under warranty, by a dealer, when the original one stuck open.  (Car's
only had three total, in 259K miles.)

I make no excuses as to why this particular '90 SHO continues to run as well as it
does, with no problems, significant or otherwise, other than things like a squeaking
seat, due to rust, and chipping paint, due to age.  I just bless my stars that it
continues to start and deliver what it promises, day after day, year after year,
since the ones I have chosen to replace it with are not yet ready to take up the
cause.

>Gary Morrell doubts, as I do, that the Stant aftermarket thermostat flows
>less. Do you have any data to show less flow than the Ford? My Stant cools
>the same as the Ford units, that is until the Ford sticks open.

I have no data one way or another regarding cooling capabilities from one thermostat
to another.  I haven't any way to measure cooling at all, other than to look at the
gauge, note the outside temp, driving conditions, and monitor MPG.  Four years ago,
this car gave me the classic signs it needed a new radiator;  it got one, and the
signs went away.  I run Stant thermostats from NAPA in all the other vehicles around
here, and they also give me no trouble.

When I joined the american.edu SHOTimes list in 1995, I once made a definitive "you
better listen to what I say" type statement about some subject, and something rather
fierce almost started up....before most of the folks who know me well knew
me.....one cannot do that on a national list like this, so full of knowledgable
enthusiasts.  

George