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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Themostats

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Themostats -- page: 1 2 3     mzahorik 07-06-2021 @ 8:07 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 209 Joined: Nov 2009 I rebuilding my V8. It's in a '37, but there is very little left of the original motor. I believe the block is a '46, it has a 59 on it, the remaining parts are also from different engines. Anyway, When I obtained the car, the engine did NOT have thermostats, it will now. The question is should I use the 160 or 180 degree? My temp gauge reads from 100 to 212. Thanks, Mike carcrazy 07-06-2021 @ 8:21 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1587 Joined: Oct 2009 If it were mine, I would use 160 degree thermostats. You don't have to worry about the engine running too cold as Flatheads will warm up to an operating coolant temperature of approximately 100 degrees above the outside ambient temperature with these thermostats. mzahorik 07-06-2021 @ 10:38 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 209 Joined: Nov 2009 Thanks for the reply. Well..... I've decided to try the 180 thermostat first. I plan on running 50/50 antifreeze. Then run the car for a while to see how she works. If I have to change, so be it, the thermostats are not that expensive. Thanks Mike 51woodie 07-06-2021 @ 5:09 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 509 Joined: Jan 2017 I started with 160s in my 46, 59AB, and it ran at 160. Too cold for for my liking. I switched to 180s and it runs very nicely at 180. FordFreak 07-07-2021 @ 5:45 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 113 Joined: Nov 2013 I would start w/the 180's, also. 1937 Ford Coupe 1952 Ford F1 Pickup 1965 Falcon Sprint mzahorik 07-07-2021 @ 4:54 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 209 Joined: Nov 2009 The 180 thermostats just start to open at 180. The temperature must be higher than 180 to be fully open. How hot does the engine actually get? Since the system is not pressurized, the temperature of the coolant (water), will exceed 212. The water will boil in the block. If the coolant is 50/50 antifreeze, could the temperature go greater than 212? I'm asking because I'm calibrating the temperature gauge to read something that will be meaningful. The max of the current gauge is 212, but should I recal the gauge so the max is 220? or something higher? Thanks Mike. 51woodie 07-07-2021 @ 6:09 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 509 Joined: Jan 2017 Not sure about temps at various points within the engine. I run 50/50 Prestone with a 4 psi cap, and the engine runs at 180 on the mechanical gauge in the left head. Extended idling on a hot day, it will creep up to 185/190 deg. The camera angle shows the temp a bit lower that it is. 1931 Flamingo 07-08-2021 @ 6:11 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 381 Joined: Nov 2019 "Extended idling on a hot day, it will creep up to 185/190 deg." If temps are accurate I'd say you have nothing to worry about. Buy a Lottery ticket. Paul in CT 51woodie 07-08-2021 @ 7:02 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 509 Joined: Jan 2017 Paul Unfortunately, my stats work better than my lottery tickets! My post was just info, that in my engine at least, the 180s work well and do the job. One thing that people need to be careful about, is securing the stats so the don't go out of position. When I bought my stock '46, it had two different stats in it, and one of the stats was turned sideways in the rad hose. I did a post on how I used a short piece of hose inside the rad hose, to prevent displacement of the new stats. supereal 07-09-2021 @ 8:03 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Before installing thermostats, put them in a pan of water on the stove, along with a reliable thermometer, such as the kind used to make candy, etc. This will tell you if and when they are fully opening. The purpose of thermostats is to bring the engine to operating temperature quickly, particularly in winter weather. As most of us don't drive much, if any, in the cold months, the need for thermostats is reduced. Personally, I don't have them in my '47. It will warm up quickly without them, and in heavy traffic or highway cruising, temperature remains steady, and has done so for the twenty five years I have owned the car. I have seen postings which claim that the stats slow down the circulation so the coolant can more fully absorb the heat. That is untrue, but old myths die hard.

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