Thermostat instalation on C-3

[Chas]

Thermostat installation on C-3

ok , i think im loosing my mind here....after all the digital pics i took i forgot to get one of the thermostat when i took it out.....i was 99% sure that it goes in spring towards the manifold....or spring down position when i drop it in...but...when i started it up i had the cap off to bring the level up when it opened....and when it got warm the coolant started to flow out the cap opening and the temp started to go over 210...it usually is 190 or so....so i shut it off and when i took off the stat cover the spring is in the manifold side...and it seems like its not opening or i have it in upside down.....i can get a new one no problem...but now im not so sure of the spring direction...up into the hose , or down into the manifold?
Thanks, Chas

 

[AUSSIEVETTEMAN]

Chas

The thermostat does go in with most of the spring in the manifold. There should only be a little dome piece facing up into the thermostat housing. The rest of the spring would therefore be in the water jacket of the inlet manifold.

As for the coolant purging when the cap is off and for the first start after you refill the system, they always do that. What temp is your thermostat? Whatever this temp is, is what it should show before it dives down. Start your engine and wait for the temp to get up a little and your thermostat to open. You will notice that the thermostat will open when all the coolant gets sucked through the system and it looks like there is no coolant in the radiator. Fill it up as the thermostat has opened and there isn't enough coolant in the system. I would not take too much notice of the temp guage at this stage as there is no coolant or little coolant for the sender unit to send to the guage, giving a false reading. As long as the thermostat opens you should be fine.

Cheers

Tony

 

[Bob Chadwick]

A lot of people will post about the need to get the air out of the system. I have always just filled the radiator and the expansion tank, heat it up until the thermostat opens and ill it through the overflow tank as necessary.

 

[Chas]

All set guys....Thanks,Chas

 

[Chas]

i got a new stat just in case...

I always wanted to go to a 160 degree , so i splurged the $4.75 on a new one and its running right now just fine. thanks for the response...

Chas

The thermostat does go in with most of the spring in the manifold. There should only be a little dome piece facing up into the thermostat housing. The rest of the spring would therefore be in the water jacket of the inlet manifold.

As for the coolant purging when the cap is off and for the first start after you refill the system, they always do that. What temp is your thermostat? Whatever this temp is, is what it should show before it dives down. Start your engine and wait for the temp to get up a little and your thermostat to open. You will notice that the thermostat will open when all the coolant gets sucked through the system and it looks like there is no coolant in the radiator. Fill it up as the thermostat has opened and there isn't enough coolant in the system. I would not take too much notice of the temp guage at this stage as there is no coolant or little coolant for the sender unit to send to the guage, giving a false reading. As long as the thermostat opens you should be fine.

Cheers

Tony

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I always wanted to go to a 160 degree

May I ask why? Standard thermostat is 180.

 

[JohnZ]

A 160 'stat will have absolutely no effect whatsoever on your summer engine operating temperature, as it's full open all the time anyway; the 'stat only controls MINIMUM operating temperature, like in the winter, when low ambient outside air temperature allows your radiator to cool the engine down to or below the 'stat rating. 160 degrees doesn't do you much good in cold weather when you need the heater to operate, and it also won't let the oil get hot enough to boil off condensation and blow-by contaminants which then stay in the engine, get acidic, and form sludge.

160 'stats were used in the old days (40+ years ago) when cheap alcohol-based anti-freezes were used, so the alcohol base wouldn't boil off; they have no place in a modern cooling system, and have no benefits at all (except to the people who sell them and tell people they will solve overheating problems - they won't).

 

[brusso]

Thank you John. I've been wanting to say that for a long time.

 

[Chas]

I know, I know....

for a couple bucks it didnt hurt to install it.....:eyerole

A 160 'stat will have absolutely no effect whatsoever on your summer engine operating temperature, as it's full open all the time anyway; the 'stat only controls MINIMUM operating temperature, like in the winter, when low ambient outside air temperature allows your radiator to cool the engine down to or below the 'stat rating. 160 degrees doesn't do you much good in cold weather when you need the heater to operate, and it also won't let the oil get hot enough to boil off condensation and blow-by contaminants which then stay in the engine, get acidic, and form sludge.

160 'stats were used in the old days (40+ years ago) when cheap alcohol-based anti-freezes were used, so the alcohol base wouldn't boil off; they have no place in a modern cooling system, and have no benefits at all (except to the people who sell them and tell people they will solve overheating problems - they won't).

 

[MaineShark]

for a couple bucks it didnt hurt to install it.....:eyerole

Except that the low thermostat opening temperature will make your engine take longer to warm up, and will increase wear and tear, since the oil doesn't lubricate as well as it would at a higher temperature.

Joe