I understand the theory here, but in practice the three flatheads I have run (two 8BA's and one 81A) have all run cooler with no thermostat restriction. I have heard some motors run hotter without thermostats - anyone experienced this?
Thermostat questions
- Thread starter bugsiegel
- Start date
gmc1941 The stock pumps are like a paddle wheel, slipping and generating air in the system. When Skip tests a stock pump on his closed circuit water pump test machine a LOT of air is heard releaseing as the hose is removed. When a pump with his turbine impeller is finished the test and the hose is removed hardly any air is detected. One can't assume what they think happens but you need to find ways to confirm it. With a laser pointed thermometer you can see the hot spots from bubbles that form on the internal metal surfaces. These are at the rear of the heads and in the center of the heads. These spots may read 195 + and the rest of the heads 175. You can only imagine there must be other places you can't see. Over a period of time this causes high engine temps as it mixes in the radiator. I have also observed 218 readings in the center and added 2 bottles of Purple Ice and watched as the temperature slowly came down to 207 in about 20 minutes. At this point I modified ONE impeller that produced more coolant flow. This was in a 1933 Ford and installed in the pump on the passenger side. I run all the tests with a large household against the grill. This simulates about a 50 MPH speed getting the cooling benifit of the forced air cooling. This allows the same conditions with every test, recording the temperatures every 5 minutes for at least 1/2 hour. I installed the modified pump on the passenger side and the temperature came down to something like 180 on the passenger side and was at 207 on the drivers side. I swopped pumps and the 207 temp went to the passenger side and the drivers side dropped to 180. This was the basis for the start of Skips pumps. For those that don't know both sides of the block are not internally connected and the coolant only mixes in the radiator. After 100's of tests I determined the most accurite and only test place required is on the hump on 32 to 36 heads where the water pumps mount and on 37 to 48 heads in the center just below the rubber hose and on the thermostat goose necks on 49 to 53 heads. Thermostats have nothing to do with cooling, only in increaseing engine temperatures. If the stats have a full flow with no restriction once the stats are fully open say at 180 degrees the stats have no effect, it's is like they are not there they will only function again when the coolant drops below 180. G.M.
