Thermostat with timing belt change

[YukonLT]

I noticed on ECS tuning that their Timing Belt kit offers a thermostat, where IDParts and others don't. I don't remember hearing about people changing the thermostat when doing the timing belt, or am I missing something?

 

[meerschm]

seems like a good idea at first, since you do open up the coolant system to replace the water pump, but it turns out on later models that the thermostat is buried so deep you have to take the intake manifold off to get to it. (or thereabouts), which, coupled with lack of a long line of folks online complaining of failed thermostats, and the expense of the thermstat integrated into the housing, have some folks to conclude it is not required to be changed with the timing belt.

 

[YukonLT]

Thanks, I thought I had read somewhere about that. Can't understand why they would make a thermostat so hard to get to.

 

[Samcar222]

Thanks, I thought I had read somewhere about that. Can't understand why they would make a thermostat so hard to get to.

Because German engineers!

 

[gerrywac]

I like to think that car engineers, when they are packaging their creations into ever smaller spaces apply logic and do take into account the needs of servicing, together with the ease of doing this.
There must obviously be a need to prioritise in the process and I would also like to think that in doing so less reliable components are made more accessible than reliable.

I have never really heard of replacing thermostats as a service item or "just in case" (as is the case with belt tensioner and roller and water pump on the PD engines) and have never had to replace a stat in 40 years,
Maybe I have just been lucky

 

[ticketed2much]

Had a 99 Pontiac Montana, to replace the thermostat you had to remove the exhaust manifold! Was only done once in 200K when I did the head gaskets.

 

[shovelhd]

You must have never owned a Chevy V8. Fortunately they were cake to replace.

 

[steve05ram360]

The cummins stat is a 10 minute swap with minimal fluid loss.