Poor heat distribution in my 98 Acura 3.CL

These listings are at RockAuto. I’m not suggesting the OP should be going with a different temperature. I was just pointing out that the only alternative offered was a higher temp. They state on several 170 thermostats that that’s what’s factory recommended.

I agree with you to stick with the what the factory recommends.

That’s the problem with rockauto and other non-dealer vendors. Their information about the thermostats is just plain wrong. And they don’t even know it, that’s the worst part

The days of summer and winter thermostats are decades in the past

Each car only has one correct thermostat from the manufacturer, and there’s only one correct temperature rating

But I will say this . . . if you know what the correct and/or good part is supposed to be, then rockauto is a good vendor. If you’re not particularly informed, then you’re just as likely to get wrong or junky parts, because they have plenty of those, also.

I have, at times, done my “homework” and then bought from rockatuo in the end, because they had good prices

Just want to point out that in a later post by the OP (Nov 18) that the thermostat WAS replaced by an Accura dealer and it didn’t solve the problem. I think it was a defective thermostat.
My point was not what the correct temperature for the the thermostat is but that the thermostat was defective. I can’t believe that of all the thermostats listed at Rockauto, many of which were Stant or Gates that none were the correct temperature.
So called “summer” thermostats went out in the 50s when permanent antifreeze came into use. The summer thermostats were used to prevent the methanol alcohol based antifreeze from boiling off.

Gates or Stant can manufacturer all the thermostats they want

That doesn’t mean they are the correct temperature for a specific application

After all, 5w30 might be correct for my car

Your engine, which calls for 0w40 may operate on 5w30. That doesn’t mean it’s correct for your specific application

Have you ever noticed when looking up parts on napa, o’reilly, autozone, etc. for your specific car, besides the correct viscosity oil, it often also lists the incorrect viscosity?

That’s because oil is not car specific. You need to determine that from your owners manual.

OK, I’m gonna soften my position a bit on this. I just noticed in a post by the OP after the one where he stated the thermostat was changed by the Accura dealer that it was done by someone other than the Accura dealer. That changes everything. Who knows what’s in there (IF ANYTHING). But I still think a Stant would be acceptable PROVIDING the op determines from Accura what temperature is specified.

About the oil . . .

If those parts websites were better . . . which they aren’t, unfortunately . . . when you enter your car’s attributes, it should NOT list any parts or oil which are not correct for your application

I know what oil my car is supposed to get. But . . . and I’m not making excuses for anybody . . . some people don’t have their owner’s manual anymore

Personally, I have the owner’s manual for all of my cars. So I know what plugs, oil, filters, etc. my cars get

My main complaint is about the inaccuracy of some of the parts websites

I can’t disagree with that.