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Old 01-12-2009, 04:38 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Default Darn Sticking Thermostats

Dang, why do thermostats sometimes stick. Maybe because I had the system drained for a couple of weeks. Frustrating. Had to pull over when temp got to 230. Lifted hood, and hose from water pump was cold. One minute later, the hose got hot when the thermostat unstuck. Hate those surprises!!!
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Old 01-12-2009, 05:19 AM
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Dick Dick is offline
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Biggrin

Sometimes an air pocket in the system can cause that. Most newer vehicles need to be burped when the system is drained and refilled.

It may also occur on older cars.
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Old 01-12-2009, 11:18 AM
passing you passing you is offline
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Gotta keep the corrosion out of there.
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Old 01-13-2009, 02:01 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Ya, because it had been drained, maybe it was an air pocket. But I've noticed it will stick sometimes if the car has been sitting a while too.
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Old 01-13-2009, 08:39 PM
valiant64 valiant64 is offline
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If in doubt, buy a new 'stat. Way cheaper than a new engine! lol. BTW, when you get a new 'stat, drill a small hole in the flange area to allow trapped air to escape. Works great.
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Old 01-14-2009, 01:06 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by valiant64 View Post
If in doubt, buy a new 'stat. Way cheaper than a new engine! lol. BTW, when you get a new 'stat, drill a small hole in the flange area to allow trapped air to escape. Works great.
I've had a few new ones recently, but still have the problem. Drilling the small hole sounds like an excellent idea!
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Old 01-14-2009, 01:25 AM
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You might try to get a safety-stat they are designed so if they stick it will be in the upen position.
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Old 01-14-2009, 04:38 PM
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I've had a lot of problems w/ thermostats. It seemed to be about the time they started making them in Mexico.
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Old 01-14-2009, 07:43 PM
Century Cp Guru Century Cp Guru is offline
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A MOTO RAD thermostat only sticks in the open Position About 12 to 14 bucks at Auto zone.
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Old 01-14-2009, 11:39 PM
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I can't recall the brand, but I have seen aftermarket t'stats with the aforementioned small vent hole already incorporated. Also, I have always needed to "burp" the cooling system whenever I drained and refilled my 360. The "failsafe" option also sounds good.
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Old 01-16-2009, 12:39 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dodger1 View Post
I can't recall the brand, but I have seen aftermarket t'stats with the aforementioned small vent hole already incorporated. Also, I have always needed to "burp" the cooling system whenever I drained and refilled my 360. The "failsafe" option also sounds good.

How do you burp a cooling system?
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Old 01-16-2009, 12:51 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Found this little story. Wonder if a hole in the thermostat could have prevented this? I'm drilling that hole tonight!!

Tech Question
mark christian, ipswich, australia, 1976 chrysler aussie charger 440

Hi, my 440 had a stuck thermostat when I first fired it up.
It got very hot before I realized what was going on. It runs fine but has a sort of squeaking and light knocking noise under acceleration and idle which sounds like it is coming from no.4 or no.6 The noise doesn't seem to be getting any worse but I am a bit concerned that something is going to let go. Oil pressure is great and temp is fine and all cylinders have great compression.

Mark-

Most likely you scuffed a piston skirt and the cylinder wall. It's also possible that one or more bearings could be scored, although that usually only happens when an engine has be hammered on while overheating. It's also possible, but less likely, that a vlave got semi-stuck in a guide and bent a pushrod.

You really have two choices: Either rip it apart - the damage will most likely be visible, or just drive it and see what transpires. Since I doubt that 440s grow on trees down under, I think the first option would be most prudent.

Rick
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Old 01-16-2009, 02:13 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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I just discovered something amazing (for me anyway) while drilling the hole in my thermostat. I pulled off the water pump housing waterneck, and the gasket and sealant were on there like cement. After trying to scrape it and razor blade it with no luck, I let the stuff soak in "Goo Gone" for an hour. Goo Gone removes anything sticky from anything. Like Duck Tape residue on a car thats been there a year, or bubble gum from a car seat, or tar from your hands. Anyway, the gasket and dried sealant came right off with virually no effort. Amazing!! I highly recommend you get some. Don't know where I got it.
Autoparts place, or maybe Walmart. I'll be sure to use it next time I'm scraping gaskets of my valve covers!!
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Old 01-18-2009, 03:16 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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Wow, with the small hole, the coolant system fills much faster, without coolant burping out of the radiator at the same time I'm trying to fill it.
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  #15  
Old 01-21-2009, 10:43 PM
pentastarguy pentastarguy is offline
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Wink sticky thermostat

been down this road before. new stat, inconsistent temps depending on weather temp, driven speeds, length of drives. cause?......faulty stat out of box! always test new stats in pot of increasingly hot water with thermometer in pot to see when stat actually opens! VALIANT has a great tip which i always use,..........drill 1/8 hole to allow air to burp back. temp sender, gauge must also be proven true,......best of driving ahead!
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Old 01-22-2009, 02:55 AM
cudabob496 cudabob496 is offline
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All this time I thought I had a sticking thermostat, I now think it was air trapped under the thermostat. The small drilled hole seems to have solved that problem. I took the car out, and the temp went right up to 190 and stayed there. No cycling to 210 or 200 before coming back down to 190, which is the thermostat setting.
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