Thermostat needed?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
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From: "Islander"
Years ago with the 414 install on a two row 483K mile radiator the 414 ran hot. Wrapped a length of solder around one arch of the stat with a tail touching the valve, result the valve opened 100%.
Installed a custom five row staggered tube radiator and repeated test, this time the solder had moved less than half the valves travel. Stat controls motor temp unless motor makes more BTU's heat that the radiator can remove.
One time the motor ran hot (195-205 zone) waiting on the highway idling with a 25+ mph tail wind in 85 degree weather, bumped idle to 800 and cooled down quickly.
I did see a lot of trucks from the 60's with 160 stats, I run 180's.
Installed a custom five row staggered tube radiator and repeated test, this time the solder had moved less than half the valves travel. Stat controls motor temp unless motor makes more BTU's heat that the radiator can remove.
One time the motor ran hot (195-205 zone) waiting on the highway idling with a 25+ mph tail wind in 85 degree weather, bumped idle to 800 and cooled down quickly.
I did see a lot of trucks from the 60's with 160 stats, I run 180's.
Last edited by "Beemer Nut"; Nov 18, 2006 at 10:58 AM.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
Likes: 423
From: Long Island USA
One other thing to think about:
My '96 t-bird 4.6L came with a 195 thermostat. I put a Superchips in, and had some minor pinging. So, I put a 180 thermostat in it, and a thermostat to turn the fan on at 180 degrees.
Now matter how hot, or how much I beat on it, it didn't get above 180 degrees.
And the pinging was gone.
So, 160 degrees might be a good thing for a high-compression engine, depending on how you build it, etc.
I know my machinist asked me what thermostat I was going to run when he clearanced the bores in my 390.
My '96 t-bird 4.6L came with a 195 thermostat. I put a Superchips in, and had some minor pinging. So, I put a 180 thermostat in it, and a thermostat to turn the fan on at 180 degrees.
Now matter how hot, or how much I beat on it, it didn't get above 180 degrees.
And the pinging was gone.
So, 160 degrees might be a good thing for a high-compression engine, depending on how you build it, etc.
I know my machinist asked me what thermostat I was going to run when he clearanced the bores in my 390.
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