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Well this is my second post today...what can i say its a slow day at the office...19 years ago some mechanic told me i didnt need a thermostat in california so i removed it....i have never had any problems...but i am wondering now old henry put them on there for a reason
any body out there with a opinion on this subject? now thats the first stupid question i have asked on here...lmao
erik

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How about evan heating of the engine?
Besides that when H*ll freezes over, your gonna need it in Sunny CA.

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having no thermostat, the engine will overheat, because there is nothing stopping flow. the temperature just keeps flowing and gets hotter and hotter. suprised nothing happened since it was in cali.

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I live in CA. I have a thermostat on my truck. If you feel you don't need one, then don't put one on (though I would recommend against this). It's your engine...

DS :-blah

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Most engines have an optimum heat range in which they operate. The thermostat simply keeps your engine at the temp it was designed to work. Best. Himmelberg

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This is copied from BillB's flathead forum....the original question was: "do I need thermostats and fan, either or both?......."

"Adam, here's why you need both. T-stats work like a gate to keep the coolant inside the engine until it gets hot enough for the stat to open. As long as the water is at or above that temp the stat stays open. Even if the coolant goes way past boiling the stat is open. So, the T-stat only regulates the minimum coolant temp.

Purpose of the fan is to force air past the cooling tubes in the radiator in order to control the maximum coolant temp. If you keep the vehicle moving above a given speed, you don't need a fan as you're pushing the radiator thru the air. But, there aren't too many places you can drive fast enough without having to slow or stop that makes this scenario possible. Driving slower or stopping for lights and intersections, etc. and up goes the temp because more heat is produced by the engine than is exchanged at the rad core. Thus the need for the fan, located as rodnut described it."

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Erik, This may sound funny but hear me out. RUN a thermostat because if you remove it the colant has no restriction t slow it down, if it move to fast the thermodynamic of water/antifreeze cannot remove the heat. Like if you put your hand on a hot plate or soldering iron you touch it fast you feel only a little heat hold on to it and you burn your hand. I read somewhere that if you want to run no stat then a restrictor with a hole the size of a nickle should be used to avoid overheating. I've taken my old stats and cut off the retractor spring assembly and ran that. motor heats up more slowly but it doesn't crack things like blocks or heads. Just thought I'd give you something to think on. Anybody else ever read something like this. Kurt y-blocks rule!

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If I can add to Kutg, If you are not running a thermostat or a restrictor water will boil next to the cylinder walls in witch air from the boiling will rust out the inside of the engine block.

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I agree with everybody....like i said a "mechanic" suggested this almost 20 years ago...i was barely 17 years old....im now older and asking why...i will reinstall one this weekend..hopefully i have just saved some other impressionable youth from future disaster....lol
erik