changing thermostat for the summer?
 

Hey, so my thermostat is leaning to the cold side this winter. When o the highway, it leans more towards cold and when driving in the city stays in the middle.

My mechanic told me that i need to change my thermostat so in the summer, the car does not overheat. can my temp leaning to the cold side in the winter result in over heating in the summer?

How much does a thermostat job cost at an indy?

thanks!

Unless I am not thinking right today, how can a thermostat that is keeping your engine temp on the cool side be more likely to overheat regardless of ambient temperature?

Agreed! Hence the confusion. If it leans to the cooler side why should I worry, but my mechanic said it can lean to the hot side when its hot out vs winter cold? So hence my inquiry.

Thermostats don't lean. I believe your "mechanic" is in error.

quicksilver not sure if you were kidding but, my temperature needle leans to the cold side when on the highway and is perfectly centered in city driving. This is the cause of a faulty thermostat after 67k miles. so im considering changing but am not sure if necessary.

Of course I was kidding (A little bit) But honestly
Mine has never leaned regardless of the weather.
But your initial question just made me laugh.

Mine does the same: on highways, when the wind blows on teh radiator, the temperature might show 11:30 (70-75 Celius on the OBC) and in traffic jam and under load it's dead center (around 80 Celcius).

I am suspecting a faulty thermostat, but since summer is around teh corner, and temperature will reach 35 Celcius, i am leaving it this way... i might replace it in autumn...

BTW, ekvals and myself have asked many time: is an operating temperature of 75-85 celcius normal?

Cheers.

i had my thermostat changed a few months ago. The way the mech explained it to me was that since the thermostat always reads cold, then the cars computer thinks the engine temp is not high enough yet and will keep dumping gas into it, which in the long run would cause damage to the engine. But I am not sure if i remember correctly so perhaps someone more experienced would collaborate...or elaborate

I had a stuck open thremostat on my Audi, same exact symptoms. On freeway, the temp dips below half point but city driving it's normal.

Sounds like you need new thermostat, not sure how it'll overheat in summer; if the thermostat stay stuck in open position but maybe your mechanic worries it'll get stuck in close position(being broken already) then I can see the overheat scenario.
Which engine do you have?

when I had my thermostat changed...My indy mech who specializes in BMWs charged me about $280...I found that reasonable since I am not mechanically inclined...I can check oil and coolant levels and pump gas...but anything else makes me nervous...