Over Heating ?
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Over Heating ?
I have been restoring a 1970 Ford F100 390 for a year now and have replaced most of the engine and pumps on it. I replaced the thermostat a week ago {160 degs} and now the instrument panel is lighting up all lights very dimmly {with or without the lights on} and the temp gauge bottoms out on the H. I replaced the Panel dimmer switch thinking its a electrical problem there, but no luck. Any ideas ?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,130
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From: Brea CA
Hi and welcome to the site!
First thing I'd do is verify that the engine is really not overheating say from a stuck of backwards stat. Stick a thermometer in the rad and see what it reads. Then I'd go from there.
Barry
First thing I'd do is verify that the engine is really not overheating say from a stuck of backwards stat. Stick a thermometer in the rad and see what it reads. Then I'd go from there.
Barry
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,130
Likes: 8
From: Brea CA
I think I'm gonna stop giving advice for a while because it's really sucked lately. You're not gonna see anything with the thermometer in the rad if the stat's stuck 'cause all the hot coolent is stuck in the engine. Anyway, determine if the engine is really hot or not.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 497
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From: Houston TX
You did something to your wiring. Something is grounding out or something along those lines if your lights are on when off, and the gauge is bottom pegged. Check the coolant sensor wiring under the hood. Check for any wiring that might be grounding out.
Being this happened when you changed the stat, sounds like you bumped some wiring or something. You probably are not overheating. Actually, I prefer a hotter stat than 160 degrees though. You have less efficiency and more engine wear with the cooler stats. Heater not as good either...
I run the stock 195 degree stats. But to each his own in that dept...
MK
Being this happened when you changed the stat, sounds like you bumped some wiring or something. You probably are not overheating. Actually, I prefer a hotter stat than 160 degrees though. You have less efficiency and more engine wear with the cooler stats. Heater not as good either...
I run the stock 195 degree stats. But to each his own in that dept... MK
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: shepherd
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Houston TX
I'm in TX too. No problems here so far. The thermostat really has little to do with whether you will overheat or not, as long as they are working properly. All it does is limit your temp to 195, or whatever temp stat you stick in it. As long as you have the radiator capacity, it won't ever go much higher. No overheating. The only way for it to overheat is for the radiator not being able to keep up. IE: clogged up, etc. If you live in a very hot place, you should still use the same thermostat, but you might consider a higher capacity radiator. If you overheat, it's the radiators fault, not the t-stat, assuming all else is normal.
Low stat temps cause more wear and less efficiency of the engine. Heater is not as good. In some cases, more sludges, etc can build up. Engines are actually happier in general when they are fairly hot. To a limit anyway...If 160 was better, ford would have used that in the first place. As far as I know, they didn't vary the stat temp according to final delivery area. They all were the same. Alaska to Arizona. Or as far as I know anyway... :/
I use 195, and would anywhere I'm at. And it gets hot here in the summer... No worries mate, as crocodile man would say...MK
No problems here so far. The thermostat really has little to do with whether you will overheat or not, as long as they are working properly. All it does is limit your temp to 195, or whatever temp stat you stick in it. As long as you have the radiator capacity, it won't ever go much higher. No overheating. The only way for it to overheat is for the radiator not being able to keep up. IE: clogged up, etc. If you live in a very hot place, you should still use the same thermostat, but you might consider a higher capacity radiator. If you overheat, it's the radiators fault, not the t-stat, assuming all else is normal. Low stat temps cause more wear and less efficiency of the engine. Heater is not as good. In some cases, more sludges, etc can build up. Engines are actually happier in general when they are fairly hot. To a limit anyway...If 160 was better, ford would have used that in the first place. As far as I know, they didn't vary the stat temp according to final delivery area. They all were the same. Alaska to Arizona. Or as far as I know anyway... :/
I use 195, and would anywhere I'm at. And it gets hot here in the summer... No worries mate, as crocodile man would say...MK
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 497
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From: Houston TX
I gotta have a good heater...I can drive with no A/C all summer long with no problems. But I can't live without my heater. I guess I'm cold blooded like a snake...I'm glad all mine took to work was a new control valve. The original valve was totally rusted out and broke in two pieces...
MK
MK
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