Hey guys,

Alright so I've got a 64 f100 with the 292 and it's always ran on the cooler side, even in the summer. Typically when driving around the temperature will sit around 160 or less but when I'm running about 40 mph in 3rd gear the temp will drop drastically to the point it won't even read on my gauge. It wasn't a big deal in the summer because the truck would never overheat even on the 100+ degree days but now in the winter I can't get it to put out enough heat to even warm the cab unless I am just sitting at idle. If I start driving at all then the temp just drops.

This is my daily driver and l leave around 6:30am for highschool so I'm pretty much freezing the whole way in the mornings (we had a 19 degree windchill this morning. I'm located right outside Memphis tn). Should I just try changing the thermostat? I'm not sure wha kind is in it right now because it allways ran cool in the summer heat so I never bothered to change it. I am open for ideas, thanks in advance!

 

Maybe a PO took out the thermostat so it would run cooler. I would pick up a new one and install it.
john

 

Thanks for the quick response! What degree thermostat would be recommended for a 292 in the winter?

 

I'm running a 195° Thermostat.
Here's some reading from this forum.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...n-a-292-a.html

 

I've got a 195* in my 352. Good heat.
Eric

 

I always find a 180 a happy medium.

 

I think the 195 is an emission era t-stat temperature. I don't think that would help or be necessary. I may have installed a 195, can't remember now.

The thing to remember though, thermostats start to open at their rated temp, not fully open. They don't really work the way a lot of people think they do anyway. Believe it or not engineers design engines to reach NOT (normal operating temperature) just as quickly as practical. This minimizes engine sludge and plug fouling, oil dilution, cylinder wear, emissions pollution, and improves fuel MPG and, engine heater performance.

180 should be plenty. Definitely check and make sure it's there, and is installed correctly. Most engines need a thermostat and it is a big mistake to remove them. If you replace it, use a known good one, from Motorcraft, not cheap junk. Make sure the hoses aren't kinked or heater core plugged, the hoses are installed incorrectly and water is circulating to and through the core. Both hoses should be hot when engine is warmed up.

The gauge itself as you have found, is semi-useless. Or at least only vaguely accurate. Not sure if this is just a function of the age of the gauge. On my 64 after replacing the dash voltage regulator, and the sender in the drivers side head, finally got it to read over 160. Still relatively useful since I know where it normally hangs out. Cabin heat itself has always been excellent though.

One interesting thing I noticed, is poor or slow warmup is associated with a less than top state of engine tune. In other words the better it runs - proper engine timing, carb fuel air mixture, good, hot ignition and charging system/battery - it warms up noticeably quicker. A fresh thermostat plays a role too. If it fails open, or sluggish it will be "cold blooded". You want the engine to warm up to NOT as fast as possible, even in the summertime.

Good cabin heat depends on an unblocked heater core and good blower motor. One thing I wouldn't do is exceed a seven (7) pound radiator cap, nor put cardboard in front of the radiator.

 

I have to agree that the popular idea of removing the thermostat is a bad plan. Running an engine to cool is not at all good for it. They are designed to run in a certain temp range and removing the tstat can have the reverse effect. Engines will sometime run hotter because the coolant going through the radiator to quickly and does not have time to dissipate the heat. Our 64 did not have a tstat when we got it. We had to replace the radiator so we flushed the engine and heater core then installed the new rad and tstat. The engine runs much better now. They also now make a "fail safe" tstat that fails open instead of closed. I run this type in my 68 Firebird and 88 Corvette.

 

Another thing I do is to remove the radiator cap and run the engine up to what it's normal temperature after the thermostat opens and see what is on the dash gauge, then I insert a mechanical type gauge into the top tank and see what the actual temp is. The temp past the thermostat will always be a little higher then the dash gauge shows.