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Why do my cars always overheat! 80 gl overheating


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Okay this is a strange one when I got this car it didn't have a thermostat and the electric fan didn't work,so I threw a cheap T-stat in and fixed the fan. About 1000 miles later the T-stat quits working acts like its stuck open. So I parked it for a while and it sat through the winter, I go to put in a new Stant O.E type thermostat and when I pull the old one out its closed :confused: so I take the new and old t-stats and boil them while watching the temp. Old t-stat starts opening at 150 and the new one starts opening at 190. I figured that the old one was just weak and that's why it wasn't working so I throw the new t-stat in and go for a drive, now it's overheating :banghead: so I get out and feal the radiator hoses both are cold. I thought maybe the heater core was clogged and was making it not circulate properly so I bypass it, still overheating. Water pump shaft is solid and water pump doesn't leak radiator has been replaced less than 500 miles ago. What I am wondering is why would a 39 degree differance in t-stats be this big of a deal? I am thinking that the water pump may have a spun impeller but that seems unlikely but, then again the only other thing I could think would be a problem would be a clog in the block somewhere but I would think that would make it overheat all the time. Please help this is ticking me off

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You obviously can't read rad is new I'm not going to replace it again, and I don't care what brand t-stat you have if it opens at the right temp IT IS NOT GOING TO CAUSE OVERHEATING! I just don't have the money to be replacing parts that are working.

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I am going to say this once. The reason I am not going to get an oem thermostat is because I have to drive 80 miles ONE WAY to the closest dealer and pay fifteen bucks for a t-stat. That is not going to happen I have used this exact part number before and had zero problems.

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air in the system. proper burping procedure will fix it. The variable here is that you have opened up the cooling system several times.

Thank you milesfox that very well could be I will try burping it better.

Do you have a video on this yet :grin:

Edited by mikaleda
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Nice thanks a ton, you were 100% correct it just needed to be burped properly. It works like a charm I went through my drive way and back without overheating (not an easy task at the moment being its a good foot if mud)

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I have owned Subies for 20 years now.  Been down the rocky road with non-dealer thermostats.  So I only use OE (dealer) thermostats.

I think I paid $20 for my last dealer t-stat....wouldn't mind paying less. 

So...  What is this 'stant' theremostat we speak of?  Is that a brand-name or a design feature?  Who sells them and how much are they?

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I think all these other cats didn't get the memo about the stant tstat you used being oe equivalent. I missed it too until a few weeks ago when someone brought the thread back to life.

:grin: ya I think the Stant thread should be a sticky.

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You obviously can't read rad is new I'm not going to replace it again, and I don't care what brand t-stat you have if it opens at the right temp IT IS NOT GOING TO CAUSE OVERHEATING! I just don't have the money to be replacing parts that are working.

Actually it totally does matter. The Stanton cheapies have smaller throat, that doesn't open as far as the OE stats.

 

That said, I think you may be getting air in the system, heats up as soon as you drive? Headgaskets

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I have owned Subies for 20 years now.  Been down the rocky road with non-dealer thermostats.  So I only use OE (dealer) thermostats.

I think I paid $20 for my last dealer t-stat....wouldn't mind paying less. 

So...  What is this 'stant' theremostat we speak of?  Is that a brand-name or a design feature?  Who sells them and how much are they?

I don't remember the part number off the top off my head but, I got it from federated auto it was a Stant o.e. temp o.e. type. I'll try and find the box and get the part number for reference. I think it was 1558 but, that's right off the top of my head so that might be wrong.
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Actually it totally does matter. The Stanton cheapies have smaller throat, that doesn't open as far as the OE stats.

That said, I think you may be getting air in the system, heats up as soon as you drive? Headgaskets

Nope it just needed to be burped properly, I just forgot.
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I think all these other cats didn't get the memo about the stant tstat you used being oe equivalent. I missed it too until a few weeks ago when someone brought the thread back to life.

 

 

The basic Stant cheapy is NOT OE equivelant.

 

Stant now has a line of more expensive, "excact stat" thermostats. That one is OE equivelant. More expensive, and you gotta ask for the "excact stat" line or you get the cheaply junk.

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The basic Stant cheapy is NOT OE equivelant.

Stant now has a line of more expensive, "excact stat" thermostats. That one is OE equivelant. More expensive, and you gotta ask for the "excact stat" line or you get the cheaply junk.

This was the best t-stat I could get, I don't go cheap on my cooling system
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