Adjustable temperature switch

dad's deuce roadster

dad's deuce roadster

Senior Member
We continue making progress on the roadster. Does anyone know of an adjustable temperature switch that can go into the head? Lacking that, what would the proper temperature be for a switch that will kick in the electric fan? I've heard 200 F, but seems a tad high.

Thanks,
 
I haven't seen an adjustable switch to screw into the head. I do have a 195 degree switch in the head of my 8BA engine. It controls a Cooling Component fan that begins to bring the temp down quite quickly to the 180 degree thermostats.
 
If you have a pick and pull, any Ford Escort from the 80's has a fan switch at the end of the Tstat housing. 1 wire grounding type switch. Turned fan on around 200. Other electric fan Fords had them also but can't remember location of them all. Mid to late 80's Mustangs with 4-cylinder electric fan had sensor in the heater supply hose.
 
There is no point in running the fan if the radiator bottom temp is under 180 degrees.
Most people put the temp switch in the bottom tank
 
Just a note, opted to go with American Volt single wire switches, planning to use in one of the heads. Grabbed 2, one at kicks in at 190, the other at 200. both cut out 15 deg lower than the the on temp. We'll try the 190 first and see where the water temp actually is.
 
An update. Ran with the 190 F temperature switch. Idling to full warm up fan kicked in right at 190 on the temp gage on head port, fan came on, temp dropped in a couple minutes and fan shut down. Working well.

Took car out for a short run on a colder day. Ran about 4 miles. Engine never topped 140.
 
Unless I missed where you mentioned this, are you not running thermostats? Your engine would be happier at 185*- 190*.....the switches you found seem to be the answer....Mark
 
This wording of this posting reminded me of my childhood days, you know, way back when *** whoopins were in vogue.

The size of the switch varied or was adjusted according to just how "hot" Daddy was over what I had just done. Get the picture?

It seems that the "time out" generation is not faring quite as well as the *** whoopin generation.
 
Thanks all. I did feel the temp staying cool was not good for the engine for all the reasons posted. And just to be save, I'll ask - if I understand correctly, the thermostats, e.g. the $10 ones at speedway, can just sit on the top of the head ports and the hoses will keep them in place. Is that right
 
Some people use another piece of hose inside both rad hoses to hold the t-stat in place. Some use PVC or small wires from the t-stat and pinch them between the hose and the neck on the head. A quick search should show multiple ways of keeping it in place.......Mark
 
Just a wrap note on this thread. We installed 180 t'stats. We went to using some stainless tubing between the hose off the heads and into radiator. We just lest the t'stats bump up to the tubing. We did drill a 1/8" hole in each t'stat to allow some flow before than open and to give air an escape route.

The setup is working well. The t'stats open and a few minutes later the fan with it's 190 F temp switch will kick in. Amazing to me is that the original temp gage readings are spot on with the opening of t'stats and the fan kicking in.
 
I gather you have a 59A [center of head outlet] yes the original hoses had a lip moulded into them to keep the stats in place unfortunately replacement hoses dont have this so the fun begins. I personally went to stainless pipes and jam them down on the stats and clamp in place . Others use wire or modify the stats to keep them in place there are lots of posts on here about this so its up to you how you do this.
 
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