Thread: Thermastat position

Don't judge me lol.....so for years I've always installed my stats a lil different on my 3800s. So instead of putting the gasket/seal around the stat for a snugged fit (proper way) I just seat the gasket and sit the stat wright over it. Now you would think it would leak but it doesn't or maybe cause the stat to move around a bit since its not held by the gasket. Well it has never leaked and I believe the coolant psi is flowing well enough to keep the stat in place. I've never overheated and the stat always open/closes on time.

So I was just thinking how a component thats not sealed properly(by the book anyway) could function so flawlessly. Im never above the last notch that comes before the halfway mark even on 95* days(with the help of all my other cooling tricks).

Does anybody else install they're stat by just putting in the gasket and sitting the stat over it aligned to the center?

Lol don't judge me.....

The function of the tstat is not affected by the seal. You could put it in hot water and watch it open.

The seal is to prevent leaks only.

the housing would seal the gasket regardless where the t stat is. top or bottom of the t stat. but the t stat should sit in the lim first, then the gasket, this way it sits in the lim's groove.

Yeah I've been running like this for 7yrs now, just curious if anybody else ran their stat like this. Yeah the gasket will seal regardless, but honestly there was times (years ago) I use to think the thermostat would move around to much but I've never had any issues.

Some people would ask why not just run it the proper way and I've always responded with "I dont know, till this day it has worked and never failed me"

I even do it on the LS too, though I did have one leak on the LS thermastat housing once but a lil more tightening fixed that