Thermostats

Anton Voycheck

Anton Voycheck

Member
I am going to order some thermostats from Joe's.

I have a 37 Ford 85hp. I drive about 400-500 miles a year.

Should I get 160 degree or 180 degree thermostats?
 
180, the thermostats do not determine the top temperature your engine will run at, it just establishes the lowest and increases the rate it get there.
 
That article perpetuates the fallacy that water flow too fast through the radiator negatively impacts cooling. At high flow, you cool a lot of water a little; at lower flow rate, you cool less water a lot. Heat transfer through the radiator is a complicated function of mass flow, heat transfer coefficients, and temperature differential, but the equations favor higher flow rates on both sides. Clearly, no air flow or no water flow both result in overheating, but there is no circumstance (short of cavitation or transonic speeds) where higher air or water flow hurts cooling.
 
I have an 8ba, not the same as your engine. Mine runs cooler with 180 stats than it did with160s. Just say'n.
 
mfirth said:
I have an 8ba, not the same as your engine. Mine runs cooler with 180 stats than it did with160s. Just say'n.
Click to expand...

That is quite possible if the 160 thermostats were more restrictive of flow. I replaced my stock 160 thermostats with 170 larger opening thermostats, and improved cooling in traffic on hot days. (STANT 14157 for a Subaru) When I first put them in, the temperature would go over 200 before dropping to 170. I had to drill holes in them to let some water flow up through the neck on the heads while the engine was warming up.
 
JSeery's and drolston's explanation of thermostats and cooling is the best I've ever heard. No need to hear more. Terry
 
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