Thermostat Recommendations

[ARCHINSTL]

It's time to renew the AF - three + years now, and it's still clear green - still...

Anyway, I want to change the thermostat both because it seems logical - and - the car has been running well below the middle mark for a couple of months now (kind of in between the bottom and middle marks), and I suspect the t-stat is now stuck open. And, of course, Winter beckons.
I did change the radiator cap a few months ago, as it was running erratic temperatures. This replacement took care of that, but the "low" readings are more recent than the replacement.

I'm leaning toward the "Fail-Safe" brand that various vendors stock - about $14 at AZ, ADV, etc. The Toy OE is locally about $17. The FS brand comes highly recommended on various sites, and a motorhead nephew who has a couple (!) of M3s and races a 330i highly recommends it as well.

Any anecdotal experience?
Thanks.
Tom M.

[Typrus]

I've run the Fail-Safe in a few things and they haven't had any issues. I usually run the highest quality one I can get my hands on. A cheap t-stat is just that- Cheap. OE would probably be good, just depends who they contract. Our VW Passat TDI had 205k on the original antifreeze (they call it lifetime and I'm tempted to believe them... It drained just darker than the light blue of the new stuff!) and t-stat, which still worked flawlessly. But in my paranoia I put a Fail-Safe in, mostly because the T-stat is a MASSIVE PITA to get to without pulling the A/C Compressor and Alternator. It was $18 versus the OEM $28.

But then again... Had a 2002 VW Beetle roll up to AutoZone with a stuck-closed OEM thermostat at just 115k miles. Just depends on who has the production contract at the time.

[keith]

The one I bought at AZ didn't fit, I ended up getting the genuine product.

[takza]

I recently had a failsafe FAIL in another vehicle. On a trip the temp slowly got up to where it was supposed to be...~192F...then after stopping for a short while...it had locked open...and ran at around 130F after that. They have a metal frame in there that catches the plate that closes off the coolant...designed so if things get too hot...they lock open.

Ended up buying another 192F same brand (made in Israel) but not failsafe and it keeps the temp at the mark real well...unlike some of the cheaper brands that vary with the seasons. It does overun the middle mark a bit when getting up to temp though.

[Petros]

I bought cheap ones and ended up replacing them within a year, some did not work right from the beginning. Buy the best you can find, some recommend the factory T-stat, but I do not want to over pay their rip-off prices. The factory just buys them from a suppler and puts them in a Toyota box. I wonder if we can find out who supplies Toyota, likely we can find them through aftermarket source.

If the Failsafe brand works well, than stick with them. IIRC when I was at AutoZone buy a new T-stat there was a choice of three brand, a supposed OEM for something like $3.99, and one year warranty for $8.99 and a lifetime one for $14.99. I had already bought the cheap one and it was junk, I replaced it with the one-year one and it keep it too cool and after one year I am not sure it is even closing because it takes about 3-4 miles before it even warms up. I need to replace that because of winter approaching, I will do it with the head gasket replacement I have to do now.

[4wdchico]

Check my t'stat comments on this this page: https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3712

[ARCHINSTL]

I forgot to mention that when I reattached (and soldered) the wire to the emissions system temp sensor, I did the same for the regular radiator temp sensor as it, too, was looking a little frayed.
It made no difference to the "too cold" indication as described in the first post, so it is not the sensor.

I don't mind spending the extra bucks here, as I don't want an experience as what happened with my first T4WD, when my Beloved Sister fried the head when the fan switch failed and she kept driving blithely along... As a consequence, I think I watch the temp needle as much as I watch the speedo - I mean it!
Tom M.

[Typrus]

AutoZone has 3 brands.
Valucraft (Valucrap)
Duralast (So-so)
Failsafe (pretty good)

Considering I have to sell parts for the mentioned corporation >.<
The Valucrap is a horrible choice. Not worth the risk. The Duralast is ok. I have no idea who makes it, as all they tell us is that it's distributed by Best Parts America (like every other stinking thing in the store with a Autozone, Valucraft, or Duralast label) They seem to last reasonably long, based on customer feedback. The Failsafe is a pretty good one. Their whole thing is they guarantee that if it fails it'll fail open (failing "safe") They seem, most of the time, to stay pretty true and work pretty well.

Just like any other retailer putting their name on something, they contract stuff out. The Duralast and Duralast Gold batteries are Johnson Controls units for instance. And, currently, WIX produces Wal-Mart's in-house filter (last company was Fram, it changes pretty regularly) and last I heard their oil was Valvoline.
Car manufacturers do the same thing. Contract out to the cheapest quote, so long as it falls within some loose quality standards.

[ARCHINSTL]

I decided to go with the Toy OE brand.
Guess we'll see if the high-priced spread is as good as margarine...
Tom M.

[Petros]

how much did the dealer want for a thermostat?

[ARCHINSTL]

In STL, it was $17.91, plus, of course, tax.
Butler in Indy had it for $13.43, but adding in the postage - it was just slightly cheaper here - and, it was here. Butler still does free freight, but only on orders over $200.
Tom M.