hey, here's my dilema: lately i've been noticing that my temp. gauge has been running too cold. at first i thought it was the sensor in the block. but when ever i touch the block it seems cold to me. today i just ran a 100 mile round trip to the beach and the truck was running very cold. i had some problems w/ my carb. like at first the idle was running shallow like 4-5 hundred rpm's. then on the way back it was running at 2 grand. i dont know what is happening here. i got the cooling system flushed around last july. and the carb was rebuilt three months ago. could it be that i drove on the highway like a third of the trip? please give me some answers.
thanks,
pete

 

Check your thermostat, it might be stuck open. Did that to me once in the winter, froze my tail off.
gnomor

 

check the thermostat, i was having similar problems, swapped it out, and everything became good again.

 

yea, i just talked to my father-in-law. and he said that its prob the thermostat that is open. do i have to drain the system to replace it? or do i have to just wait 'til the engine is cold to work on it for saftey reasons?
thanks,
pete

 

Let the engine cool, drain just enuf to empty the heater core hoses, upper radiator hose, and etc. below the thermostat. Your stat should be in the front center top of engine. Disconnect whatever hose you feel necessary from the thermstat housing to provide accessibility to clean the gasket off and replace the thermostat inside the housing. Should be two bolts, no thread sealant needed, a new gasket and thermostat. Do not get anything in the coolant pipes! Stuff a clean rag into the hole of the block to prevent dirt from entering.

 

When replaceing the thermostat, I have found it beneficial to drill a small hole, 1/8" in the plate that moves. This will allow filling it up easier. Allow the air in the block and hoses to vent out. I've been doing that for many years, some old Navy Chief turned me on to that trick. Don't know how others feel about that, maybe some comments are in order.
GNORMOR

 

That Chief had to be an Engineman or a Machinist Mate. I too learned that trick from an "OLD" (he's 70 now) Chief.

Works really good especially if the top of the radiator is WAY higher than the engine.

 

And this whole time I thought that was my trick! Although, I drill the hole in the fixed part, near the sealing surface, and install it with that at the top. Also, did you know that FOrd recomends pre-mixed coolant?

Jared

 

Drilling the hole is a good idea it helps the radiator life as it allows coolent to gradually heat the radiator preventing thermal shock. Also if the thermostat sticks shut it allows for some flow and could keep you from boiling over if you run at slow speed. Mercedes builds this feature into their thermostats.

 

Yeah, he was a MM, the only reason he showed me how to do it so he would not have to put his coffee cup down. He also sent me arount looking for 6 feet of water line in the P.I.
GNORMOR

 

ROFLMAO!

We use to send NUB's up to the tender for 50' of Chow line or a Phillip O'Peane Tube (say it fast) tester.

Had one Electrician stricker looking all day for a bucket of voltage drops once. Send the Sonar Girls out for relative Bearing Grease.

I was a Corpsman!

Remember the Mail buoy watch????