Another motorad thermostat bites the dust.

[Chris142]

A few weeks back in another thread we were talking about thermostats and how Stant is no more. I mentioned that the one I looked at the dealer was also a motorad. Someone said that even though it was a motorad that it was built to a higher standard .

So I went back to the dealer and got it. Installed it on Christmas day.

4 days later I get this. I noticed that my heater was lacking. Normally my OE coolant gauge sits just on the edge of the 210 and the aftermarket one was showing 192-198 as of last night . Same as my scanner was showing Tuesday.

 

[eljefino]

Some people have a butt dyno. You have a butt thermo. Good catch!

 

[Chris142]

Some people have a butt dyno. You have a butt thermo. Good catch!

Any temps under 80F is friged to us desert folk.

 

[Johnny248]

I have never had great luck with the Motorad stuff. I've seen several have the rubber swell/separate from the valve. I try to stick with OEM thermostats or no less than a Stant. I didn't know that FCA was using Motorad OE?

 

[CourierDriver]

I miss replacing T stats on my 67 Beetle and antifreeze, but we did have heat....

 

[eljefino]

I have never had great luck with the Motorad stuff. I've seen several have the rubber swell/separate from the valve. I try to stick with OEM thermostats or no less than a Stant. I didn't know that FCA was using Motorad OE?

Stant = Motorad unless you find some old stock.

My Motorad (branded Murray, Autozone) radiator cap was missing the seal from the factory. Only noticed because it twisted onto the radiator neck really easily.

 

[Nick1994]

The Duralast (Motorad) for my Jeep looks identical to the Motorad I got from the dealership for it.

 

[Johnny248]

I didn't realize that. Probably why I haven't seen a listing for a Stant in a bit lol Are we sure something hasn't changed with the product though? The Motorad stuff doesn't look the same as what I remember the Stant stuff looking like. I know that at least on the last one I replaced, the OEM Chrysler had a brass-ish looking secondary valve where the Motorad looked Chrome plated. The 5.7l Hemi engine has a rubber seal on the primary seal. I noticed that my truck was taking longer to warm up. That rubber seal on the Motorad had peeled off one side and was preventing the stat from closing completely. The Chrysler is about 2.5x more expensive though.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Get a Facet thermostat. It seems to be the best aftermarket option now. Part number 7.8204S. Made in Italy. Available from Rock Auto. Pair it with a Mopar thermostat gasket.

While actual OE/OEM parts often aren't the same as aftermarket parts made by the same supplier, some "dealer" parts for older cars not supported anymore are reboxed aftermarket

That is, even if Motorad was the OE supplier; if Chrysler stopped supporting the TJ , you still won't get the original OE quality thermostat from the dealer anymore.