i'm not sure if anyone has had any experience with aftermarket thermostats, but i replaced mine with a Beck/Arnley 170 Degree Thermostat from Advance Auto not too long ago. I was told that all thermostats are the same and they make no difference.

If i drive the car it takes about 15-20 minutes for my engine to warm up now vs. 3-4 mins before. If i wouldn't drive it, i wouldn't be surprised if it would take 30 mins to warm up even though i have not tested it with the engine running at idle speed for that long.

Are all thermostats created equal, or is an OE thermostat better?

Thanks much

 

You should just go with OEM.

 

i dont think its equal....when I got a autozone thermostat, it took longer for the car to warm up (10-15 min) while the oem only took a few minutes......the degree of the thermostat plays a role i think......

 

Thermostats weep somewhat when they are cold. The difference in warm-up could be attributed to that.