for no apparent reason. I put in a 180' t-stat, took it for a long spin (getting on it by the way in the summer heat to make sure the new fan switch worked) and the temp never even hit 190 for 15-20 minutes. The as I pull in the driveway smoke is POURING out from under the hood and I find it's coming from the t-stat. There's white stress marks all over at the front of the flange base where it broke. What could cause this? I just don't want it happening again. My only theory is that maybe dexcool turns to sulfuric acid when distilled water is added????

------------------
I ROCK


...so you don't have to.

 

Thermostat not seated right or a flawed housing.

Happens often.

 

my guess would be you had the t-stat under the houseing and tightened it down and it broke when it couldn't bend. most of us have broke one or two before. most all parts stores stoke replacements.

------------------
ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

Just buy a new t-stat housing and be extremly careful when you install it. I broke one torquing it down once. Dexcool is not going to turn to sulfuric acid with distilled water. GM recomends distilled water with dexcool.

------------------
82 z28 350cid, vortec heads, comp 262h cam, Holley 600cfm carb, 2in twice pipes, MSD ignition, turbo 350 trans, 3.73 posi, manly b&m megashifter

 

yeah that was my attempt at sarcasm. well the new one I got today is MUCH more heavy duty than the other...I think the one that broke was plastic...this one's not breaking!

 

For some reason the factory casts those things out of the cheapest grade of chinesium that won't dissolve in antifreeze during the warranty period more than about 5% of the time. Replacement ones are usually cast iron, except for the chrome ones which are usually zinc. If you put in a zinc one, be prepared to change it often; it acts as a sacrificial anode and protects various other metal parts from corrosion, especially aluminum, but it does literally "dissolve" in antifreeze over time.

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports