Honda Car Forum

I never thouht a faulty thermostat could do so much damage. In my old
car I use to pull it out in the summer to make the car run cooler. It
has over 400,000km's and its still going strong.

MikeLikes wrote:
> I never thouht a faulty thermostat could do so much damage. In my old
> car I use to pull it out in the summer to make the car run cooler. It
> has over 400,000km's and its still going strong.


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

It probably would have SHREDDED a lesser engine.

'Curly'

"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote:
> Replace the thermostat.

Yeap. I've had once the same symptoms and the reason was that the
thermostat was stuck open.

Rudy

Well I am just going to change it now anyway and see if it makes a
difference and I will keep you all posted once I have installed the new
part. I just need to get some time now to go down to my dealer and get
the parts to do it.

Yesterday I changed the thermostat and the car is now running back at
its normal opperating temp.
The faulty one was stuck open as a few people suggested in this thread.
Thanks for the help,
Michael.

"MikeLikes" <MikeLikes@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yesterday I changed the thermostat and the car is now running back at
> its normal opperating temp.
> The faulty one was stuck open as a few people suggested in this
> thread.
> Thanks for the help,

I wish all car problems were as easy to diagnose as that one. ;-)

Rudy

MikeLikes wrote:
> Yesterday I changed the thermostat and the car is now running back at
> its normal opperating temp.
> The faulty one was stuck open as a few people suggested in this thread.

You're lucky yours was stuck open, Michael. Mine stuck closed after a
fillup at 1 a.m. on Saturday night ~120 miles from home and ~30 miles
from my destination, and the temp gauge shot right up into the red. Hope
I noticed it in time--my engine hasn't seized yet, so maybe... That's
close to the worst time I can think of for a thermostat to get stuck
closed...

I was lucky it was cool out (65 F), and that the heater can double as a
mini-radiator in a pinch. Cranked the heat (defroster, so I didn't fry
my legs off) up to full blast and reduced acceleration to reduce heat
generation, and I made it to my destination with temps below redline.
Had hoped I could limp home and do it myself with OEM and a coolant
flush at the same time, but steep uphills and 85 F temps killed that
idea right fast.

Luckily I found a mechanic along the way who was willing to change it
out at 5:30 p.m.--one of those guys who runs his own place and closes
when he's ready. Nice to run across guys like that. Frank Scigulinsky at
Center City Muffler & Service in Westfield, MA. I also appreciated the
fact that he didn't bleed the system cuz he was concerned that he not
crack the water outlet cover at that late hour. Guess the bleeder was in
pretty tight. I gotta change the coolant anyhow.