thermostat disintegrated

[nygroup]

Hi, and happy new year.
I went to change my thermostat today and put in a winter version, 195
deg F, when I pulled off the housing to remove it, the bottom half of
it was gone! That's right, gone. The top half was intact, but the
spring, etc, gone. It was a new one place in service only last year.
Question is, of course, where is the stuff that broke off? Any
suggestions or anyone have similar bad luck with a thermostat? In all
my years working on British cars (two elans, 2 mga's), this is a first.

thanks,
steve