Ah, the mysteries...

While i'm certainly no engineer, I do have a unique background that gives me insight into this particular mystery. Take from it what you will.

I have, since my early 20's (early 50's as of this writing) either fixed coffee machines or worked on cars. Mostly coffee equipment but also on 115 Alfas and mostly my own.

One of the stupid things I did to my first alfa was break the capillary for the thermostatic actuator. It worked fine before I messed w/ it.
Damn thing squirted me right in the face and eye

But the fluid was familiar to me, and I know why all the bad thermostatic actuators ever tested, had no fluid in them.

It evaporates.

I recognized it because it's the same stuff used in coffee brewer thermostats. I've been told it's mineral spirits, it's certainly something like that, and not like anti-freeze or brake fluid.

There is no question about whether this was a rebuilt or tampered w/ unit. New TA's were still available from the dealer. Rebuilts were not available to my knowledge.

I can't comment on whether other fluids such as glycol have a similar coefficient of expansion, a factor which could well define how well a "rebuilt" functions.

Norm
 

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