Thermostat question

[SRReality]

Recently bought a 62 roadster that has a nearly new crate 350 engine. It has an auxiliary electric fan ahead of the radiator. At street/highway speed, temp sits on 190 degrees, without the auxiliary fan. At slow speeds, idle, etc., it needs the auxiliary fan to stay around 190 degrees. The service manual speaks of 170 or even 160 degree thermostats. The radiator "looks" good down inside, but don't know if it's been redone. My instincts tell me cooler is better, but I'm open for advice from the forum!

 

[wallyknoch]

Recently bought a 62 roadster that has a nearly new crate 350 engine. It has an auxiliary electric fan ahead of the radiator. At street/highway speed, temp sits on 190 degrees, without the auxiliary fan. At slow speeds, idle, etc., it needs the auxiliary fan to stay around 190 degrees. The service manual speaks of 170 or even 160 degree thermostats. The radiator "looks" good down inside, but don't know if it's been redone. My instincts tell me cooler is better, but I'm open for advice from the forum!

It should have adequate cooling with the aluminum radiator. Use the 180 degree stat in the car.

 

[magicv8]

You are caught between a newer crate engine with a 190/195 tstat and a car created for 160/170 tstats. If the setup works, leave it alone. If you go to a lower tstat - you have to reset the electric fan on/off temps - if you have an adjustable unit (like a Derale).

 

[Ron Miller]

The late model crate is designed to run at 190 or so with no problems. Contrary to popular opinion, cooler is not always better. It appears you have no problem with temperature in this setup, I'd leave it as is.

 

[Ol Blue]

SRReality
You might want to take the thermostat out to check the temperature that it "really" opens. I used to watch my Dad check the thermostat in his 36 Chevy every winter to make sure it was working properly. He checked it by putting it in water with a candy thermometer, heated the water and watched the temperature that it opened.

My 65 was running on the hot side so I put a new fan clutch on it. It still ran hotter than I liked. I took the thermostat out and although it said it was a 160 thermostat, it didn't begin opening until 190 when I put it to "Dad's" test.

Even if it's a new thermostat, it might not be opening at the temperature it is supposed to. From now on, I check the thermostat before installing it.
Ol Blue
PS Oh, I've also had good luck with redline water wetter in reducing temps.

 

[SRReality]

Thermostats

Thanks for the input. We used to do that test in the service station I worked in......yes, a real service station...........yes, I'm that old!

 

[SRReality]

Auxiliary fan has on/off switch. Thanks for the input!

 

[magicv8]

Derale makes an adjustable tstat for the electric fan that uses a radiator fin probe to turn the fan on and off around the coolant tstat temp.

 

[carrollm]

If it is COOLER temp that you are looking for, try replacing the thermostat with a restrictor plate made by MOROSO. I have a 454 that liked to run hot, and I tried a 160 stat. (Didn't make much difference) A racer friend told me that the restrictor plates (3 in a pack) have different size holes to choose from, and they actually SLOW the flow down inside the block, as to pick up the heat from the engine. I tried the middle sized hole plate and it has kept the engine cool. The kit cost me around $13.00 from the local speed shop. Summit and Jegs have them too.

64 mike