[MrF]

So spoke with ECP who gave me the choice of a new thermostat and housing for £30ish notes or just the stat itself for £8, given my last motors haven't been that difficult to swap just the stat, I bought the stat alone.
However, I can see the stat, I just can't figure out how to disengage both lugs on the stat at the same time (usually you get access clear to the rear, with this I only have easy access from the right hand side...
Any thoughts?

 

[nathanbrand1987]

bad choice they are a whole unit... you will most likely damage the stat trying to change. even the cheap ones fail they arent good ( the 30quid ones )

 

[MrF]

well the only ones i can get at short notice are circoli (or maybe a vernet)
Any is better than what i have currently...
Just found out that the stat can't be removed due to the moulding inside....why ecp display the stat on its own is a mystery as it seems impossible to remove it without breaking something to extract it....unlike my 2.0 TID which despite coming as a unit (wrong unit as it turned out) the stat could be removed with little or no difficulty. (push and twist) Though that one was a vernet and it worked flawlessly. Stable temps, no overheats even in high summer and hill climbing, also no drops in winter...

 

[MrF]

Take it the cheapie you fitted failed then?

 

[div2112]

I replaced mine with a circoli from euro parts about 6 months ago due to trying to replace the temp switch but as soon as I tried to remove the switch touched the small pipe next to it and it snapped it as it is only made of plastic bad design. I would replace the whole unit it's a lot easier and only takes a few minutes to fit.

 

[Caddyman]

Agreed, no point in trying to cheap it out. For the sake of 30 odd quid for something that rarely gets changed, then yes, the full housing is required. Gates or genuine GM/Fiat, all readily and easily acquired through the auction site:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAAB-9-3-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item338f3946cf

 

[MrF]

Replacing it as a unit, not sure why ECP sell the stat alone as it doesn't fit....

Have a vaux dealer not too far. see what they have, at worst circoli from ecp as a temp measure, need car for tuesday so ebay is out of the window....

 

[div2112]

I priced one from lookers they are about £60 plus the vat if I remember right.

 

[Caddyman]

Biggest issue is the fact today is Sunday. Very few car part departments at main franchise dealers are open I suspect. Monday won't be a problem, you'll unfortunately I suspect, just end up paying a premium for dealership price versus what you'd get from the auction site.

Anyways, good luck with it and hope it gets sorted soon.

 

[MrF]

Cheers, if the dealership is too much, might end up being a temp circoli till next year and then get a genuine off ebay (usually change the coolant every 2 years at most anyway for all the cost)
Temp gauge was going up and down like a yoyo...no wonder, stat fell apart inside the housing...seems the retention clip was the only thing holding it together...looks OEM though, so not bad for 9 years and 122K...

Spent my day productively though, finished cleaning the throttle body out (sludge and more sludge, greased the flap also so its now moving a lot more freely), also sprayed some oven cleaner inside the manifold then used a very long bottle brush to remove what i could, then used a decent amount of carb cleaner to dissolve some more...lots of black smoke on first restart methinks...airways were pretty narrowed on 3 and 4 from what i could see with a torch and a small inspection mirror, now a lot more open...so hopefully that will improve the idle and sort the over and under fuelling issues on idle on 3 and 4...)