$11.00 Thermostat = $400.00

wzschirnt · September 27, 2011

Hi,

I had a thread a few months ago about trying to find a lower temp thermostat for my 2007 1500 V-Max. I got a 160 degree from Mr. Gasket, which worked fine lowering my water temps.

Now, a few months down the line, I get "Engine Hot, a/c turned off" in the DIC and water temp guage shows nothing (dead cold). 1st Chev dealer said the temp sender shorted out. Replaced for $143.00. Had GM Extended Warr, but with $200.00 deduct, so it was out of pocket.

Problem returns in a week. Another Chev dealer says thermostat was stuck and made engine run "too cold" and it gave the "Hot" message(?). Covered under the 5/100 warranty, but wait - you have an aftermarket thermostat. Sorry, not covered, so it will cost you $243.00 to replace it (or put the old one back in; either way $243.00).

Still working with the second dealership, may still get some help (I have the old original thermostat in my old parts shelf. He might be able to turn it in as defective, maybe). Fingers crossed.

New oem thermostat in and running as before - 210 indicated all the time and no messages. He gave me a week to try and see if it screws up (he seemed to think the message was a result of a new bad sender) before paying the piper.

Things not looking good for my wallet. Cooler temp with the aftermarket thermostat was what I was looking for, especially during the 100+ temps we've had in TX lately. Just mad about the title of this post!

Later

walt z.

txab · September 27, 2011

Hope you learned something from this.

travishale84 · September 27, 2011

Hope you learned something from this.

THAT was really helpful.......

MikeNH · September 27, 2011

Day to day driving in high temps should not cause any issues in your truck if it is running right. Those temps are rare in NH but we had a day or two if it this summer and of course that was the day someone chose to hit someone else on the highway during my commute. A couple hours of stop and go driving in those temps with AC on full bore and the temp gauge never budged. Cooler temp t-stats will gain you nothing but troubles on a modern engine with all the computer controls. I'd leave it stock.

wzschirnt · September 27, 2011

Hope you learned something from this.

And that was...???

txab · September 27, 2011

Hope you learned something from this.

And that was...???

That a lower temp 'stat was not the panacea you envisioned. If your going to run a different temp stat, then you should have your programming changed for it. Also what were you going to do during winter? Continue to run a 26 degree cooler stat?

Mojavered · September 27, 2011

Did not read your earlier post, but why would you want to run cooler? These engines, as well as many others, are proven to be more efficient @ 200-210 deg. Good question on the winter time, what were you going to do?

old-chevy-dude · September 27, 2011

what is the point of running a lower temp t-stat?

unless your motor has an extreme amount of interior work (CAM, Heads, Supercharger, etc), there are no real overall benefits to running a lower t-stat, the minimal power gains do not outweigh the increased pollution and reduced mpg.

wzschirnt · September 28, 2011

To address concerns in previous messages:

-Black Bear Premium fuel tune.

-Fan reprogrammed to come on at 185.

-No increased pollution - convertors still functioning

-Cooler temp running showed 4-5psi increase oil pressure (which is low in my and other 6.0 engines).

-Lower temp = less detonation tendancy = no knock sensor intervention = more timing = more power.

-Live in TX. 170 degree air from heater is ok when cold.

-Running at 185 (where it was running w/low temp thermostat) is warm enough for computer to think it is normal (no cold engine enrichment happening).

-The gist of this thread was to let me vent on how Chev was putting me over a stump for an $11.00 thermostat (and maybe how dumb I was to have it in there when bringing the truck in for service), not why I was wanting to put one in my motor.

But, thanks for all of your input.

walt z.

old-chevy-dude · September 28, 2011

To address concerns in previous messages:

-Black Bear Premium fuel tune.

-Fan reprogrammed to come on at 185.

-No increased pollution - convertors still functioning

-Cooler temp running showed 4-5psi increase oil pressure (which is low in my and other 6.0 engines).

-Lower temp = less detonation tendancy = no knock sensor intervention = more timing = more power.

-Live in TX. 170 degree air from heater is ok when cold.

-Running at 185 (where it was running w/low temp thermostat) is warm enough for computer to think it is normal (no cold engine enrichment happening).

-The gist of this thread was to let me vent on how Chev was putting me over a stump for an $11.00 thermostat (and maybe how dumb I was to have it in there when bringing the truck in for service), not why I was wanting to put one in my motor.

But, thanks for all of your input.

walt z.

Ok that's fair thanks for the info from your pov. But can you blame gm? Why would they warranty a non gm part? Though personally I would've just changed it myself for the $11.

wzschirnt · September 29, 2011

To address concerns in previous messages:

-Black Bear Premium fuel tune.

-Fan reprogrammed to come on at 185.

-No increased pollution - convertors still functioning

-Cooler temp running showed 4-5psi increase oil pressure (which is low in my and other 6.0 engines).

-Lower temp = less detonation tendancy = no knock sensor intervention = more timing = more power.

-Live in TX. 170 degree air from heater is ok when cold.

-Running at 185 (where it was running w/low temp thermostat) is warm enough for computer to think it is normal (no cold engine enrichment happening).

-The gist of this thread was to let me vent on how Chev was putting me over a stump for an $11.00 thermostat (and maybe how dumb I was to have it in there when bringing the truck in for service), not why I was wanting to put one in my motor.

But, thanks for all of your input.

walt z.

Ok that's fair thanks for the info from your pov. But can you blame gm? Why would they warranty a non gm part? Though personally I would've just changed it myself for the $11.

Oh, I agree about not warrantying a 'non-GM' part. I took it back the second time because the message and symptoms were the same as the first occurence, which the first Chev dealer diagnosed as a bad temp sender. I figured that the temp sender that was put in was a bad one also, so I was blind-sided when the second dealer pulled the thermostat. BTW, I went to the second different dealer because they were closer to my house - I was in a different part of the county when the first problem showed up.

If I thought it was the thermostat, I would have been all over it - especially at $243.00 a pop!!!! Maybe the service manager will work with me (as he hinted about doing).

Once it is all done, I'll may put the low temp one back in just to see what happens. They (SLP, Mr Gasket, etc) sell too many of these thermostats for this to an on-going problem (that all vehicle PCM's crap themselves when the temp gets lower than normal). I'm thinking that my thermostat is indeed bad.

But we'll see.

Later

walt z.

Duelin · September 29, 2011

To address concerns in previous messages:

-Black Bear Premium fuel tune.

-Fan reprogrammed to come on at 185.

-No increased pollution - convertors still functioning

-Cooler temp running showed 4-5psi increase oil pressure (which is low in my and other 6.0 engines).

-Lower temp = less detonation tendancy = no knock sensor intervention = more timing = more power.

-Live in TX. 170 degree air from heater is ok when cold.

-Running at 185 (where it was running w/low temp thermostat) is warm enough for computer to think it is normal (no cold engine enrichment happening).

-The gist of this thread was to let me vent on how Chev was putting me over a stump for an $11.00 thermostat (and maybe how dumb I was to have it in there when bringing the truck in for service), not why I was wanting to put one in my motor.

But, thanks for all of your input.

walt z.

Ok that's fair thanks for the info from your pov. But can you blame gm? Why would they warranty a non gm part? Though personally I would've just changed it myself for the $11.

Oh, I agree about not warrantying a 'non-GM' part. I took it back the second time because the message and symptoms were the same as the first occurence, which the first Chev dealer diagnosed as a bad temp sender. I figured that the temp sender that was put in was a bad one also, so I was blind-sided when the second dealer pulled the thermostat. BTW, I went to the second different dealer because they were closer to my house - I was in a different part of the county when the first problem showed up.

If I thought it was the thermostat, I would have been all over it - especially at $243.00 a pop!!!! Maybe the service manager will work with me (as he hinted about doing).

Once it is all done, I'll may put the low temp one back in just to see what happens. They (SLP, Mr Gasket, etc) sell too many of these thermostats for this to an on-going problem (that all vehicle PCM's crap themselves when the temp gets lower than normal). I'm thinking that my thermostat is indeed bad.

But we'll see.

Later

walt z.

All engine get condensation or moisture from heating and cooling. What temperature do you think the engine has to get to turn that moisture into a vapor so it can be purged through the PVC system? A bi-product of moisture is sludge. Also Gm spend millions of dollars developing and testing these engines. Why didn't they put a cooler thermostat in. One of the reason is expansion and contraction. The wider the heat range (from when the thermostat open 160° and when the fan comes on 228°) is more than GM like for their engine. especially aluminum component engines. It causes too much movement on the gasket surfaces. The results is gasket failure. These are a few of the reasons why they use a hotter thermostat. I don't think "SLP, Mr Gasket, etc" care how your engine runs. That is your problem. They care about selling their products. I am sure there is application where it is beneficial like a marine engine for instances. Ask them how many millions of dollars they spent developing, testing and documenting the results of their testing.

That being said, these are just my comments and by no means trying to persuade you one way or the other. It is just some information that you can use any way you want to.

Good Luck

wzschirnt · September 29, 2011

At this point, the horse and myself have been beat on enough. Hopefully, someone that reads this thread gets what my point really was.

Later

walt z.

HawkScot · September 29, 2011

I read the whole thread and the point I see you making is that you modified your truck and then took it to the dealer for repair and got charged. Yep, I would be mad at myself if I did that also. Not sure what I would be more mad about, going to a lower temp thermostat or going to the dealer. As for the beating, you certainly should have expected that.