thermostat? easy

94 DropTop · Jul 9, 2008

Im having a honda moment. I found a v6 stang to buy for a DD, and its having a overheating problem. The car is 3hrs away some im going to have some buddys look at it for me. The person says it just needs a tstat. How can i make sure this is the only problem? If they let the car warm up and the upper hose is cool, that means its the tstat right? I need to know this cuz i would be driving it back home. If it is ill just take it to a buddys house and pull the tstat out, then drive it home. Thanks guys

reivaxtorres · Jul 10, 2008

that could be a number of issues........blocked radiator hose, blocked radiator, sticking t-stat, blocked t-stat, fans not turning on when they are supposed to, water pump failure, blah blah blah.

if you really think its the t-stat thats the issue, offer the person selling it to fix it for them so long as they front the money for the t-stat. you can do the labor (cant remember where the t-stat is on the 3.8L cars, id have to go take a look at my sisters car tomorrow morning), and if it stops overheating, you will know it was the t-stat. if that doesnt fix the problem, you can either walk away from the deal and all you have lost is the time you invested in it, or still buy it and troubleshoot it later.

and its real easy to know if its the fan not turning on. check to see if its on, and if it doesnt turn on when the car is hot enough, turn on the A/C full blast. if it still doesnt turn on, then its prob the fan clutch that went out.

also, no, it shouldnt be hard to drive it home, just avoid stop and go traffic and try to keep the engine speeds down, that way the car can get cooled with the air passing thru the radiator as you drive.

94 DropTop · Jul 10, 2008

im going to tell them to take the tstat out to confirm thats it and, ill buy it if it is.

94 DropTop · Jul 11, 2008

Well they are not mech. inclined so im going to send my buddy over today or tommorw to take a look at it. They said a mech told them it was the tstat. Hope thats all it is cuz im aproved for the loan and they only want 1g for it to get it out of the drive way.

Paul · Jul 11, 2008

I'd do a block test before you bought it. You could buy it thinking it's a thermostat and end up finding out it's a blown headgasket, cracked head, cracked block, or other royal PIA.