Thermostat advice

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Jul 7, 2012 | 08:21 PM

49'er

Thread Starter

Freshman User

Joined: Dec 2011

Posts: 38

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From: Midland, Ontario

Thermostat advice

When I pulled my engine (C8BA) apart there were no thermostats. As I'm gathering parts for reassembly I was going to pick up thermostats but I'm not sure which ones were originally installed. The suppliers all seem to offer a variety of temperature settings. I don't plan to run the truck in the winter so I'm not real concerned about getting a lot of heat from the heater and have read a lot of threads that suggest there is a tendency for the old flatheads to run hot so pre not sure which thermostat to go with. Also when installing them in the water outlet elbows, is there a gasket on both sides if the thermostat or does it sit directly on the head with a gasket only between the thermostat and the elbow?
Thanks for any advice

49'er
49 Merc M68

Jul 7, 2012 | 11:23 PM

52 Merc

Hotshot

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 16,172

Likes: 4,772

From: Burbank, WA

I'd recommend going with 180F. It's what the engine was designed for, and at that temperature it helps keep condensation and sludge from building which can be a problem using cooler 'stats.

Contrary to popular belief, colder 'stats do not keep an engine from overheating. If you have a problem, it's going to be a problem whether you run a 160F, 180F or a 195F thermostat.

Jul 7, 2012 | 11:29 PM

ALBUQ F-1

Fleet Owner

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 27,292

Likes: 1,055

From: NM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 52 Merc

I'd recommend going with 180F. It's what the engine was designed for, and at that temperature it helps keep condensation and sludge from building which can be a problem using cooler 'stats.

Exactly right. If your engine is still apart, spend some time chipping away thru the deck holes at the lower block at the rear especially, and washing the mud out of there out the water pump holes. Same for the heads, it's amazing the crap that accumulates. I was driving mine in traffic in 97 deg weather last week, it was a needle's width above the center mark, with 180 deg. thermostats. They don't run hot unless they are dirty.

The engine is mounted sloped to the rear, so almost an inch of mud can sit back there and there is no real way to get it out except when it's apart and tipped to the front. It would have been nice of Henry to provide drains back there.

Jul 8, 2012 | 09:14 PM

49'er

Thread Starter

Freshman User

Joined: Dec 2011

Posts: 38

Likes: 0

From: Midland, Ontario

Thanks Guys

Thanks for the feedback fellas. I'll go with the 180 then. I'll also make sure to try and clear out the back of the block as suggested.
It's great to have a resource like this and the advice is really appreciated.

49'er
49 Merc M68

Jul 8, 2012 | 09:33 PM

Jolly Roger Joe

Lead Driver

Joined: Jul 2011

Posts: 6,599

Likes: 34

From: Rockingham, VA

Welcome to FTE!

We'd love to see some pictures of your truck.

Here's one way to upload pics into your thread.

Go to Photobucket and sign up for a free account. Then create an album for your truck. Upload any pics you want to post on FTE to that album. Have this album open on your computer when you want to post pics on FTE.

While you're making a post on FTE, select the pic you want to post from your Photobucket album. When the large version of the pic is open, right mouse click on it and select "View Image Info". The image info will be highlighted and will look something like this:
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ghtsafter1.jpg

Copy that highlighted info (right click / copy).

When you have the spot in your post where you want the pic to be placed, select the "Insert Image" icon at the top of the post (looks like a mountain)

and paste (right click / paste) the image info you copied in the highlighted box (just shows "http://" when it opens).

Your pic will be placed in the post.

Hope that helps.

Jul 8, 2012 | 09:50 PM