So after three calls to three different 170F thermostat providers, they ALL are 64mm tall. Your stock stat is 61mm. There is a challenge when you swap them out because you literally have to compress the spring in the 170F stat while you are putting the plastic water housing back together and align the stat so you don't pinch the O-rin gasket. What a pain in the ass!! The stat (which I put the original Factory O-ring gasket on the 170F stat because it is substantially larger and seals better) will NOT sit in place while you reassemble. The spring pushes the stat out the moment you let it go when trying to put the housing back on. When that happens, the stat falls down and the housing pinches the O-ring and there is no way to put the housing on because you can't manipulate the stat. So here's what I did, which WAS successful. First, I lubricated the outside rim of the stock O-ring with Magic Lube (pool o-ring lube) so it would slide easier into place. I think that lube was the key to success BTW. Secondly, I removed the 3 factory 8mm screws and tossed them aside. I then went to Ace Hardware and bought and installed three Metric 9mm 2" long all-thread studs. Screwed them in by hand (key word is by hand) about halfway approx 1", leaving 1" remaining stud sticking out, no problem. Then I slid the housing onto the three studs and of course the stat was popped out falling down, resisting me from tightening the housing down. Then I put washers and nuts on the three studs using my fingers only, no tools, and put them on as far as i could using fingers only. Then i stood on a ladder and reached around on both sides of the housing and shook the housing vigorously while pushing the housing on. It took a few tries, but the studs lined everything up, and the Magic Lube somehow allowed the o-ring to squeeze into place and put the spring under compression while I felt the housing move into place. Once I felt the housing hit the flange, I used my fingers to spin the nuts on further while I kept pushing until the housing was in place. Then I used a socket wrench to tighten them down evenly. What a complete and utter pain in that ass. If SPD, Reisch and Ratstat could just make a 170F stat 61mm in height (like the stock one) instead of 64mm in height, this would be a 5 min job....OMG!!! They must make them taller so they can fit them in multiple vehicles. Hopefully, this will help some of you if you try to DIY. Final advice...Do NOT try to reuse your existing three bolts, one of the three will try to cross thread on you during reassembly. Get the studs. That was also key to line up everything. A new Intercooler is next on the agenda.
