No thermostat in 96 Subaru Outback Wagon

I have had overheating problems with my 96 Subaru Outback Wagon with
178,000 miles. When the radiator was changed and unbeknowst to me the
thermostat was not installed. Note that I had added "Water-Wetter" and
Subaru's radiator conditioner to the radiator. It has been running
well, with the temp gauge at the 8:30 position. At time it does go up
to the 11:00 position, but after a few moments, it will drop down back
to the 8:30 position. Thinking that there was a thermostat I decided to
have it changed before the winter. The new thermostat was in fact, a
Subaru OE theromstat. After its installation, the car overheated
within a few blocks of leaving the mechanic's shop. I brought it back
to the mechanic, was then told there was no thermostat to begin with,
and had it removed. New anti-freeze/coolant and new "Water-Wetter" was
added and it's running as it was before it was brought to the mechanic.
My concern is, what can I expect with the car running without a
thermostat into the winter? Thanks

One more thing about this. It is a second car and not used everyday.
It is only used to haul things. A "station car" if you will.

Running without the thermostat greatly worsens fuel mileage and emissions,
and greatly accelerates oil contamination and resultant engine wear. And
the heater and defogger are much slower to warm up. Nothing good comes of
it, despite baseless old myths to the contrary. It really is there for
several very good reasons. A properly-rated thermostat needs to be
installed. If the car doesn't work correctly with the correct thermostat
installed, the problem needs to be found and fixed.

Something is broken or it would run properly.

You could easily be looking at replacing the engine if you don't address
the overheating cause.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

rajp wrote:
>
> I have had overheating problems with my 96 Subaru Outback Wagon with
> 178,000 miles. When the radiator was changed and unbeknowst to me the
> thermostat was not installed. Note that I had added "Water-Wetter" and
> Subaru's radiator conditioner to the radiator. It has been running
> well, with the temp gauge at the 8:30 position. At time it does go up
> to the 11:00 position, but after a few moments, it will drop down back
> to the 8:30 position. Thinking that there was a thermostat I decided to
> have it changed before the winter. The new thermostat was in fact, a
> Subaru OE theromstat. After its installation, the car overheated
> within a few blocks of leaving the mechanic's shop. I brought it back
> to the mechanic, was then told there was no thermostat to begin with,
> and had it removed. New anti-freeze/coolant and new "Water-Wetter" was
> added and it's running as it was before it was brought to the mechanic.
> My concern is, what can I expect with the car running without a
> thermostat into the winter? Thanks

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> Running without the thermostat greatly worsens fuel mileage and
> emissions, and greatly accelerates oil contamination and resultant
> engine wear. And the heater and defogger are much slower to warm up.
> Nothing good comes of it, despite baseless old myths to the contrary.
> It really is there for several very good reasons. A properly-rated
> thermostat needs to be installed. If the car doesn't work correctly
> with the correct thermostat installed, the problem needs to be found
> and fixed.



Doesn't lack of a thermostat also drop the engine control system to
"open loop" as it runs too cool?