Quote:
Originally Posted by CREWZIN
Thermostats don't work that fast in making the car overheat and then cool off. I'd say your problem is the coolant sensor sending unit located just below the thermostat itself.
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Agree. Sensor, not thermostat. That's the only thing that could cause a visable fluxuation in the temp reading on a normal car. Though with how hard wired the engine computer is on the PT Cruiser, it could also be a computer issue. But the water temp sensor is the cheaper culprit to check on first. Not sure how the PT Cruiser is. Some cars have a seperate water temp sensor for the computer and another for your dash reading. Some use the data off a shared sensor. If it's a shared sensor, then it would also affect your power as it would cut the ignition timing to compensate for what it'd see as a hot engine.
Any thermostat would result in the temp pegging cold or possibly hot, radiator or water pump issues would result in the temp pegging hot. But neither would go hot on a car that hasn't been driven in several hours.
Also, a good thermostat is usually designed to get stuck in the open position rather than the closed position when it dies.
I think you wasted quite a bit of time with unneccesary repairs on your Subie. Sounds like a typical mechanic repair job, though. Throw money at the problem until something works. God forbid a mechanic actually use some brain power to diagnose an issue.
So no, I wouldn't bother towing it. If it starts going to hot, and staying at hot .... then you can worry. But I wouldn't even bother having a garage do a temp sensor. It's usually right at the top of the water neck, and usually just need a pair of vice grips to take the old one out. A little plumbers take on the new one's threads, and screw it back in. No fluid draining required.