I removed the thermostat from my 72 F100 360 because the temp guage doesn't work. Since it gets pretty hot here in Oklahoma, I figured that would keep me as safe as possible until I could get a new sending unit. A buddy of mine said he did the same thing to an old 340 Dodge Dart and it caused it to overheat because the coolant ran through so fast that it didnt really cool off. I told him that was a little car with a little radiator and a big engine (and it was a Dodge to begine with) whereas I have a half ton truck with a big engine and a huge radiator. Any one have experience with this?
Aaron

 

your friend is right, you'd be better off with a t-stat installed, put a cooler one in it, say 180 deg. or so.

BFM

 

If you really dont want a thermostat, you can get some restrictors from Moroso or search around at hardware stores or industrial fastener shops for a washer the same size as your thermostat, then you can drill a hole any size you want in it. you need to have something in there.

Dave
http://www.davesmonsterpit.com/dmp31.gif

 

yea, If you don't run a thermostat, you have to run a restrictor.
Just get a 160-180 degree stat.

 

 

I would deep six the stock water temp electric gauge and install a mechanical Autometer gauge.. much more accurate... and you can get a gauge for $45 complete where as the stock sending unit is probably $20-25 on its own..

Just a though..


Uzi... Yamaha Sleds, Honda Bikes, and Ford Trucks....

 

These questions come up every summer. I'm sure i'll say this a dozen times over the next few months, but here goes... If it isnt boiling over from the radiator cap, it isn't overheating!!! An engine is a heat pump. it needs to run at as high a temperature as is possible, while still retaining it's coolant. They only make 190 degree and lower thermostats for people that don't know what the basics are. the factory units are 200+ degrees. The reason that "summer coolant" was developed is so that the coolant has a higher boiling point than water! (don't confuse coolant with anti-freeze, even though they come in the same bottle)! AS LONG AS IT ISN'T BOILING OVER, IT ISN'T OVERHEATING! If you do get into boilover, then you have to determine if it's a coolant flow problem, or air flow problem. This is simple to determine.If it overheats at idle, but runs at normal temperature at highway speed, then you have an air flow problem. (most likely a bad fan clutch, or broken/missing fan shroud). if the reverse is true, you have a coolant flow problem. (thermostat that isn't opening fully, colapsing bottom radiator hose, blocked radiator, or other obstruction). If it runs hot in either mode, then you have a bunch of possible problems from an extremely blocked radiator to a leaking head gasket. But to answer your question, use a thermostat!

 

Aaron, the factory spec. for your truck thermostat is 192-195 degrees. These older engines aren’t the high-pressure cookers they make now. You should run a thermostat so the engine warms-up quickly, that’s when all the wear is taking place. I see nothing wrong with running a “summer” thermostat and a “winter” thermostat, especially if you live in a region that has wide temperature extremes. Guess I don’t know what the basics are.

Barry

 

Ditto BBB,

I run a 195 in the winter and a 180 in the summer... I recently put the 180 back in and ran about 350 miles yesterday... I was doing 75-80 the whole way in my 1970 F-100 2wd w/360, C-6 and 3.25 rear end.. I have an Auto-Meter mechanical temp gauge and it was @ 185 Solid the whole time...


Uzi... Yamaha Sleds, Honda Bikes, and Ford Trucks....