Guess I will try this antique thermostat!

[Chris142]

We have a store in town that was a western auto back in the early 80's. It's ran by the owners now elderly daughter. She does not replace stuff that gets sold so it's getting pretty empty.

Still has a few automotive related things like points, and spark plugs but no way to crossover the western auto numbers to see what they fit.

I found this 192° thermostat there a few years ago so I grabbed it for $1.

It will fit my Jeep.

Since my currant thermostat in the jeep is stuck open I might as well use this one.

I boiled it and it opened on time. Any guesses as to how long it will actually work?

 

[wpod]

Wizard? It will work magic.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

it's probably better than Motorad

 

[stangguy]

Who knows, but in my opinion things were made better back then, and it may last longer than the best new one. Who knows how long anything will last.

 

[TCL]

We have a store in town that was a western auto back in the early 80's. It's ran by the owners now elderly daughter. She does not replace stuff that gets sold so it's getting pretty empty.

Still has a few automotive related things like points, and spark plugs but no way to crossover the western auto numbers to see what they fit.

I found this 192° thermostat there a few years ago so I grabbed it for $1.

It will fit my Jeep.

Since my currant thermostat in the jeep is stuck open I might as well use this one.

I boiled it and it opened on time. Any guesses as to how long it will actually work?

My best guess would be until it doesn't.

 

[oldhp]

I'd bet not only will it work but be trouble free for many years to come. Old things are better to me, not this for profit only crud we now have to buy.

 

[JimPghPA]

Thermostats like that use a purified hydrocarbon (all the hydrocarbons are of the same chain length) so that ALL the molecules chance from wax to liquid at the same temperature. The transition of wax to liquid when the hydrocarbons become hot enough has one of the highest rates of expansion of any material over a small range of temperature. The wax/oil drives a piston that moves the valve, and the spring helps move the valve in the opposite direction when the liquid turns back into wax when it cools.

I think the seal of the piston to the cavity with the wax/liquid (hydrocarbons) is a rubber seal, and over time that rubber ages and the seal fails and the wax leaks out. Then the thermostat no longer opens.

Because the thermostat you have is old the rubber for that seal is old and will probably fail in use in shorter time of use than it would of lasted if put into use when new. How much shorter of a time is anybody's guess. But I would not expect it to have a usable life as long as it would of have when it was not very old.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BTW, it may be that over the years improvements in the chemistry of the material available that can be used for that seal is why thermostats now can have a much longer service life then they had many decades ago, IF THE COMPAMY MAKING THEM USES THE PROPER MATERIAL.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

I still remember when they were made from brass (like yours is) back in the day. Jim has a good point about the rubber grommet so use at your own risk.

 

[brianl703]

Since my currant thermostat in the jeep is stuck open I might as well use this one.

If you are looking for a USA-made thermostat for your Jeep I may have found one.

Assumption is that it's the 2002 Wrangler in your sig.

That just happens to use the same thermostat as a 1988 Mustang 5.0.

And that is available as Motorcraft part number RT-1139 which according to Opticat catalog is made in the USA. And the picture of the thermostat on this page does say USA on it:

TecDoc

TecDoc Catalogue by TecAlliance - one of the world's leading global vehicle and spare parts catalogues for the automotive aftermarket based on the TecDoc standard.

www.opticatonline.com

 

[Chris142]

If you are looking for a USA-made thermostat for your Jeep I may have found one.

Assumption is that it's the 2002 Wrangler in your sig.

That just happens to use the same thermostat as a 1988 Mustang 5.0.

And that is available as Motorcraft part number RT-1139 which according to Opticat catalog is made in the USA. And the picture of the thermostat on this page does say USA on it:

TecDoc

TecDoc Catalogue by TecAlliance - one of the world's leading global vehicle and spare parts catalogues for the automotive aftermarket based on the TecDoc standard.

www.opticatonline.com

Funny that's what I just took out of it today! It lasted less than a year.

 

[brianl703]

Funny that's what I just took out of it today! It lasted less than a year.

Another option might be this made in Germany MAHLE thermostat:

TecDoc

TecDoc Catalogue by TecAlliance - one of the world's leading global vehicle and spare parts catalogues for the automotive aftermarket based on the TecDoc standard.

www.opticatonline.com

The Motorad thermostat specified for the Jeep (2000-195) also fits a 1995 Land Rover Discovery. The Gates specified thermostat (33923) for that Land Rover Discovery also fits a few VW models. The MAHLE thermostat linked above fits those same VW models.

Unknown why Gates specifies two different thermostats when Motorad specifies only one. And I'm pretty sure MAHLE only has German vehicles in their catalog (for thermostats, anyway).

EDIT: That MAHLE thermostat crosses over to this one, Opticat lists no country of origin but it may be France based on what I read elsewhere: https://www.opticatonline.com/part/bvfl-6e-calorstat-by-vernet-th627687j?ctx_q=TX+14+87D&ctx_iam=1

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Another option might be this made in Germany MAHLE thermostat
-snip-
I'm pretty sure MAHLE only has German vehicles in their catalog (for thermostats, anyway).

Mahle has Japanese cars in their thermostat catalog, but these are usually reboxed OE Japanese thermostats.

For the OP's Jeep, Facet makes a thermostat for it in Italy. Part number 7.8204S. It is available from Rock Auto and listed in Facet's catalog.

 

[brianl703]

Mahle has Japanese cars in their thermostat catalog, but these are usually reboxed OE Japanese thermostats.

For the OP's Jeep, Facet makes a thermostat for it in Italy. Part number 7.8204S. It is available from Rock Auto and listed in Facet's catalog.

Aisin made in Japan. Has crosses to thermostats that fit the OP's Jeep.

TecDoc

TecDoc Catalogue by TecAlliance - one of the world's leading global vehicle and spare parts catalogues for the automotive aftermarket based on the TecDoc standard.

www.opticatonline.com

 

[zzyzzx]

What's the country or origin for this Wizard thremostat?