It was beat into my head in Auto tech 30 years ago that the Thermostat starts opening at its rated temp. So a 180 starts to open at 180...... I am on my third 180 thermostat, I am runnin 170.... Even with the a/c on....Now I haven't had any real hot days lately but DO I gotta put a 190 in to get above 180? My guage was checked with a candy thermometer and is plumbed in the intake next to the thermostat housing.... I even bought a high flow 180 off Speedway motors. This thing was stout lookin. My engine didn't want to even heat up... Does this sound right? 180 runnin at 170?
It happens sometimes. The sbc in my 23 would not get over 120 with a 160 thermostat so I switched to a 190, then it got up to 170. My radiator was so efficient that the water would go in hot but I could put my hand on the lower hose and it was just slightly warm to the touch. I think you have the same thing going on. Don
X2 ^ The 440 in my Dodge will not get above 150 when driving above 50 mph but in traffic it's fine at 195.
The last thread like this.... Was the sender unit not being fully submerged. Unless its defective or some cheap ass POS , the thermostat won't open until its rated temp.
I'm gonna grab another candy thermometer.... The thermostats I have tried include T.C,I, Mr. Gaskey, Speedways, (which looks exactly like Mr Gasket. Robert Shaw, and Now I have a MotoRad failsafe... I am gonna check the dash gauges sending unit to make sure it in far enough... I read about that, so it was on my ta-do list... so the thermostat starts opening at its rated number... right?
I have the same problem, started out with a 180 Robertshaw and it ran at 170 or lower, put in a 195 and it is pegged at 195 all the time. I think the 180 might be a 160 that is numbered wrong. I'm going to buy another 180 and put it in a pot on the stove and see if it opens at 180. I want to go back to a 180 and I want it to run there.
You guys are a bit wrong as a stat should be fully open at the rated temp. Now days it seems they don't fully open until 5+ degrees above rated. They don't spring open like a mouse trap as they rely on the expansion of a waxy material to work. And if you have a very efencent radiator for your heat load it will run below the stat. Had a big Walker in my T with a 153 Chevy II and the only time it would run on the stat was when it was 100* + here in Phoenix.
Good info..... I may bump mine to a 190. Someone else told me the 180's were reboxed 160's that opened a little late..... WHo knows... I gotta get rid of this BS chrome neck.... its set up for a rubber o-ring....It looks ike crap with all the black rtv I used, and I have a dime size puddle on my F$%^$ intake.....
Seal that water neck with Permatex The Right Stuff, it will never leak a drop again. We had a persistent leak in one car from the water neck, tried everything including double gaskets. Put some Right Stuff on there and we even forgot the gaskets and it sealed perfectly and still doesn't leak. When they named it The Right Stuff they really got that right. Don
I realize this is about thermostats but some are using electric gauges with sending units and others with a capillary tube & bulb. I've noticed problems with the electric gauges due to input voltage (12V) high (14+) or low (10+) Normally if the voltage source (alternator) while running is high the gauge reads high, and if the source is off another device after a voltage drop and low it can cause the gauge to read low.
place in a pot of water with a thermometer and heat it up until the thermostat opens then read the temperature
Thanks for the input.... Last night I got a new gasket, and bought Blue Ultra.... Used it instead of Ultra Black. I sanded all the chrome off the neck, checked the surface, made double sure it was true, put a nice bead on everything let it set for 20, then put the thermostat housing on. Let it set for an hour, then put the antifreeze in. I now have no leaks.... So that's done... I started the engine, with a candy thermometer in the radiator by the upper hose , and it read exactly what my guage is.... (guage is capalry type) So I once again drove it for a few hours and it was 165 to 170.... Then turned on the A/C and drove it, it stayed at 170.... SO I guess I am good.... Fuel issues resolved, and temp issues resolved..... Truck runs great.... Thanks for all the imput.....
Ya that was my thread! Now with it fully submerged I picked up 10 degrees on the temp gauge. What rad are you running? Jay
Definitely double check the submersion of the temp bulb..... That is often overlooked, but very important !! Same thing goes for elec fan temp switches ! 4TTRUK
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