164 thermostats and alloys

[C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

My 91 164 has a thermostat integral with its housing, sold as one piece. 
Changing the thermostat is as "simple" as removing the old housing complete 
with 'stat and installing the new assembly.

Does everybody already know that factory alloy wheels are most often 
painted, and occasionally clear coated as uncoated alloy corrodes like 
crazy in normal street use. It's worth keeping an eye on alloys used in 
winter conditions as stone chipping left untreated can cause rapid and 
unsightly freckling of whitish aluminum oxide. The only good news is 
aluminum oxide itself protects the alloy from further corrosion (unlike 
rust on steel) and is essentially the basis for anodizing, of say sailboat 
spars. I use steel wheels in winter primarily because of the risk of 
corrosion damage to the alloys.

And yes, incompetent tire shops drive you crazy by, among other things, 
chipping the alloy wheel paint with clip on instead of stick on weights, 
although there are nice coated clip on weights now that work fine.


Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner

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