Thermostat?

I have a 1930 Model A with a remachined "B" Police Head. I use a 160 degree thermostat and the car runs GREAT!! On a recent trip to Vermont and back mid-80's summer weather (360 miles round trip) the car ran consistently at 160. On long hill pulls the temp would go to 165-170; on the downhill side it would drop to 150-155 ; gas mileage in excess of 20 MPG. If the radiator is sound, a thermostat is the way to go. Just because Henry did not use it does not mean that it's use would not be an improvement in efficiency!
 
[FONT=&quot]Several years ago "The Restorer" had an article on temperatures in the Model A engine. It was pointed out that when there are problems with valves and piston rings, they generally occur in the back two cylinders. This is because the back section of the block is a stagnant flow area, the water circulation is less and the temperatures are higher. My Model A with a clean radiator runs about 155 F at the top of the radiator. I believe that to keep the back of the engine within reasonable limits, you need have the water cooler towards the front of the engine. To prove this, the Restorer article bored a hole in the water jacket at the rear of the engine and connected a 1/2 in. copper pipe to a location at the front of the engine increasing the circulation. As predicted the temperatures at the rear were reduced. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Therefore, I wouldn't use a thermostat. Ed[/FONT]
 
My engine builder said to run 180 degree thermostat, so that's what I did for 7,000 miles. For the first 5,000 or so, it would show 180-190 most of the time. Then recently when at highway speeds, it would occasionally get up to 200+. So, before this last 1,000 mile trip we took last weekend, I put a new 160 thermostat in it and it never got above 170. Ambient temperatures were hovering around 80 most of the time. For now I am going to stick with the 160. If that seems too low this winter, I'll bump it up to 180 again.
 
WHN said:
Old retired men sometimes open their mouth when they shouldn’t, so here we go.

Model A’s don’t need thermostats. They were not designed for a thermostat.

They use a syphon driven cooling system. The water pump is mounted at the out flow unlike newer cars. The water pump really only helps cooling at higher speeds. Up until the late 50’s, thermostats would be removed by many newer car owners in the summer months to increase flow of coolant.

Thermostats used in a Model A, that are installed without a by pass, could create a problem with your water pump.

Potential for oil flash on cylinder walls and hot spots with boiling.

The higher you are above sea level, the more likely you could see a problem with boiling.

Even a 160 degree thermostat might not be fully open until coolant reaches +180 degrees.

Google “Rocky Mountain Model A Club Cooling System Seminar ” good info.

Sorry if my comments offend anyone. I feel very strongly on a couple of things that have to do with these cars and a thermostat is one of them. Enjoy.
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As a kid, my dad, a mechanic for many years, drove a Model A Ford, and in the Chicago winters, he drove it and it had no thermostat. The engine when ready pulled the car just fine. I don't know about all the techie stuff you are talking about but, it the car was designed not to have a thermostat, did not come with a thermostat, and that is good enough for me. My current Model A does not have one, it will not get one and the car runs and idles just fine all year long. I may be one of the lucky ones but, I have had thermostats go bad in modern vehicles and just don't see the need if the old girl is doing fine without one!
 
Good Morning all...I don't run a thermostat in our 1931 Tudor. It runs about 170 in the Arizona summer early in the morning at outside temperatures of 95 or so. In the winter, I just use a cloth hand towel looped over the light bar with two safety pins; it blocks off about 1/4 of the radiator, it is just as good as a thermostat and does not conflict with the original water flow as designed by Henry. It is definitely OLD school, but it works...however Dolores thinks it looks 'Dumb'! Ernie in Arizona
 
Same thoughts exactly in my case. My model A's just don't need a thermostat . I've run model A's for 58 years without a thermostat .
 
1929 said:
Cant open the file, was interested in what is written.
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Bin traveling - sorry for the delay in getting back to you.


I just tried to access the file, I had to copy the string form the posting, open a new window and past the string in the new window and it opened.
Al
 
Hi Al,


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=248976&page=2


Been reading older posts and came across this. I been through this too. If you are concerned about keeping the motor at the most efficient temp, and having quick warms ups you can install a temp gauge in your motor coolant outlet, and block the inside of the radiator with cardboard or similar. This is the type of method used back in the day, and a method in one of the posts


The danger to using a thermostat is the Model A does not have a bypass to keep some coolant flow when the stat is closed. In certain cases this can cause cylinders 3-4 to overheat and can cause motor damage. This is mentioned in a previous post. Some drill holes through the thermostat to provide bypass, I've heard this is not really sufficient. The post also mentions a way to provide proper bypass, I've heard there is an easier way, but have not investigated since I am having cooling issues.
 
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