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Motorad thermostat

1967 satellite

1967 satellite

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Is a motorad thermostat a good make or would you use Stant? What temperature is everyone running? I’ve been using a thermostat with the cut out center and it seems to work. No over heating and I had the car out in 95 degrees with no problems. Am I ok or am I looking at potential problems?
 
1967 satellite said:
Is a motorad thermostat a good make or would you use Stant? What temperature is everyone running? I’ve been using a thermostat with the cut out center and it seems to work. No over heating and I had the car out in 95 degrees with no problems. Am I ok or am I looking at potential problems?
Click to expand...
I prefer Stant. But if your restrictor is giving you no issues why fix whats not broke.
 
Motorad is owned by BMW, they bought out Stant.. I’ll still take a Stant as all the motorads I see are made in Israel. You’ll have to look for a Stant. I don’t care for BMW or any of their junk.
 
180 degree old school Robert Shaw if you can find one. I found one from a Texaco gas station NOS.
 
pnora said:
I prefer Stant. But if your restrictor is giving you no issues why fix whats not broke.
Click to expand...
My housing is the factory original and the spring clamps are not holding. The housing neck is worn and pitted and needs to be replaced. I figured since it will be off so I would check to see what others are using.
 
gtx6970 said:
^^^^^^

This
2nd choice is a Milodon

Motorrad is not even in the picture
Click to expand...
A lot of the thermostats sold by various vendors are repackaged. Milodon was just a repackager and no longer available.

The Mr.Gasket Robert Shaw knock off is made in China and is junk from what I've seen.

Stant/Summit/Motorad, and I'm sure others, are all the same part made in Israel. Nothing wrong with them.

Robert Shaw/EMP/Stewart was good but not sure if they are still made in USA.
 
1967 satellite said:
My housing is the factory original and the spring clamps are not holding. The housing neck is worn and pitted and needs to be replaced. I figured since it will be off so I would check to see what others are using.
Click to expand...
Whatever stat you buy, test it in a pan of water on the stove with a candy thermometer.
 
I bought a Motorad "Failsafe" in January of this year and put it in my truck. I've used them for many years personally.
I've had good luck with them and like how if/when they fail, they fail open and don't cause an overheat situation.
The one I installed recently however, failed after being in service only a few months. But it worked as it should and didn't overheat, it stuck open, causing the engine to run cool.
I have since bought another Fail-Safe, hoping this was just a "one off" occurrence.
In the meantime I installed a standard thermostat I had on my "used but still works good" shelf in my shop.

1751902497767.png
 
Robert Shaw, the 370 type, probably 180°. I just bought one, cost was $50. to the door. As for your thermostat housing, i use the the o-ringed type from Flashpower #181491-200 . The rest is up to you.
 
1967 satellite said:
My housing is the factory original and the spring clamps are not holding. The housing neck is worn and pitted and needs to be replaced. I figured since it will be off so I would check to see what others are using.
Click to expand...
Just take a die grinder to it and smooth it out.
A good heavy coat of paint and send it.
The factory original is what you want.
 
Bird 426 said:
Robert Shaw, the 370 type, probably 180°. I just bought one, cost was $50. to the door. As for your thermostat housing, i use the the o-ringed type from Flashpower #181491-200 . The rest is up to you.
Click to expand...

i just bought the same thing. will hold until i think i need to change the thermostat
 
Damn, take a die grinder to it? I flat sanded both the intake and more than one housing, I don't know if it's the new gaskets or what, but they continued to leak. The o-ringed housing fixed it right now.

20240823_142618.jpg


20250606_201439.jpg
 
My friend Tom used to work as an engineer at the Motorad plant in Mt. Carmel, IL. It's a product that you get what you pay for.

Buy the Stant or even a higher quality racing type thermostat. Ask yourself, how much is your engine worth to use a cheap part in a very critical area?

Tom
 
Last edited:
PROSTOCKTOM said:
My friend Tom used to work as an engineer at the Motorad plant in Mt. Carmel, IL. It's a product that you get what you pay for.

Buy the Stant or even a higher quality racing type thermostat. Ask your self, how much is your engine worth to use a cheap part in a very critical area?

Tom
Click to expand...

you're saying its junk, then? i had a motorad radiator cap failing. bought another one from the autoparts store because thats what they had.
 
Don Frelier said:
Just take a die grinder to it and smooth it out.
A good heavy coat of paint and send it.
The factory original is what you want.
Click to expand...
It's too far gone. I have a hose clamp on it now and it still seeps. It would take a lot more than paint. My idea was to give it to a friend that has a machine shop. Turn it down and press a sleeve on with Loctite.
 
1967 satellite said:
It's too far gone. I have a hose clamp on it now and it still seeps. It would take a lot more than paint. My idea was to give it to a friend that has a machine shop. Turn it down and press a sleeve on with Loctite.
Click to expand...

Why waste the time and effort? Just buy a billet unit off of Amazon or eBay for $20 and call it a day.

Tom
 
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