Last month I put in a mechanical water temp gauge.(tapped out the original spot in the head) I have a 180' Stant thermostat that will open after driving for along time (30-45 minutes), but it rarely gets over 210'?
I checked the temp at the radiator after driving for awhile. Release pressure on the cap and it comes right off. Cooking thermometer reads abit hotter than what is on the gauge in the car.
This really concerns me, because I don't have to drive to far to work, and my car never completely heats up. Original Stock radiator, Rebuilt engine, New water pump( which never seemed to move the water through the radiator like I would have imagined), flushed and cleaned heater core when I rebuilt the engine, all New hoses.
I would appreciate ANY insights into why my car runs so cool.-Thanks Dan

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1964 Dart GT

Use the soup can style stat and get a 195 degree.
Don't use the flying saucer style.....

Heck mine is up to 200 degrees two miles from the house. Of course no fan blowing on the engine........so it warms up much quicker with a electric fan conversion. Nice heat too!

Mine used to do the same thing until I got the good high flow soup can type.
Robert Shaw makes a nice one....I found some Mr. Gasket ones that are the soup can style that work well too! Look in Jeg's and Summit or a good speed shop.

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

What are these? Do you have a picture?

Thanks

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

I have used these (Robert Shaw) thermostats on alot of GM cars, do you have a part# for a Slant 6? Never heard it called "a Soup Can"

I forgot to mention earlier, my car has a fan shroud and 6 blade fan. It looks like it may have had an aftermarket A/C on it sometime in the past.

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1964 Dart GT

You got it!

I use this one which is the 205 degree or the 195 degree version.

FlowKooler Robertshaw Series High Performance Thermostats 330-205
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/bra-330-205/overview/

or

Stewart Components 302 - Stewart Components Thermostats
http://www.jegs.com/i/Stewart+Component ... 2/10002/-1

Stewart Components#935-302
195° Thermostat

Both warm up the Dart SL6 nicely. My wife likes a nice warm car!

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

I use a Stant SuperStat thermostat in my car (195°F - PN 45359) and it works fine. The gasket is PN 25138.

I think your engine is taking too long to heat up because the thermostat is old and doesn't close properly. When the engine is cold, any thermostat will be closed and changing to a different style of thermostat won't help it heat up faster.

If your engine hasn't been maintained very well and the internal coolant passages are full of rust and scale, the reduced heat transfer from the cast iron to the water jacket through this layer of crud will extend your warm-up time. While you're changing your thermostat, give the engine a good chemical flush.

Having read up on flushes over the past year, I found that flushes that use citric acid are effective - check the MSDS to be sure. The only one I'm aware of is Gunk Super Radiator Flush PN C2124C or Permatex PN 80032. I've also gone to the local DIY wine shop and bought a kilo of citric acid, which forms a 8.1% concentration in 13 US quarts.

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1965 Plymouth Barracuda,
225 engine, Quadrajet, HEI, Dutra Duals, 904 Torqueflite, 2.76:1 axle, Addco front bar
Rods & Relics - Fort Erie, ON / Collector Car Tech

also New 180' stant thermostat. I have (2) and checked both by boiling to make sure they were opening and closing. In Texas it is usually an overheating problem, so during the summer I wanted to make sure I had proper flow. It never got very hot, but it did get over 180'(checked with candy thermometer) so the theromstat was opening.(looking in the radiator does not show heavy flow like some of the chevys I've had) The block is not clogged, It was spotless after tanking before rebuild. Radiator has been flushed and flows well and clean. I am going to try the 195' Shaw and see if it makes any difference.-Thanks Dan

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1964 Dart GT

Your problem isn't very clear to me. Are you expecting the engine to reach 210°F with a 180°F thermostat? The temperature rating is the temperature at which it will start to open (± 3°F). The thermostat should be fully open at 15-20°F above its rating.
http://www.stant.com/consumer-products/ ... hermostats

If you have a 180°F thermostat, you will get minimal flow through the rad at idle when the water temperature is 180°F. If your rad is in good shape, you should not reach 200°F at highway speeds, even on very hot days.

How long is your commute and how fast are you traveling? How long does it take for the engine to reach 180°F?

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1965 Plymouth Barracuda,
225 engine, Quadrajet, HEI, Dutra Duals, 904 Torqueflite, 2.76:1 axle, Addco front bar
Rods & Relics - Fort Erie, ON / Collector Car Tech

How long is your commute and how fast are you traveling? 10 miles one way, 35-45 mph maybe 2 stops.

How long does it take for the engine to reach 180°F? First couple of nights below 32', daytime highs in 60's, heater and defrost work but they only blow luke-warm air.

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1964 Dart GT

Let us know how the 195 degree Shaw works for you. Without having the stock fan blowing over the motor, my car warms up from 5 to 10 minutes depending on speed and outside temp.

Have you back flushed the heater core several times to make sure it isn't plugged with debris?

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

Thanks Ted- I'll post after I get the SHAW stat in and try it for awhile. The heater core is not clogged(neither is the radiator) it flows through perfectly. I just haven't had a straight six engine ever run this cool for so long. I am going to take it on a long haul( ) this weekend, 200 miles RT at 60+ mph (two lane blacktop) and see what happens.-Dan

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1964 Dart GT

When you say "open" are you saying that the temperature gauge takes 30-45 minutes to reach 180°F?
Are you sure that the air control door to the heater core is working properly?
Convective heat loss from the block is minimal with a liquid-cooled engine. My car (with the 4-blade belt-driven fan) will reach operating temperature within 10 minutes at highway speeds too.

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1965 Plymouth Barracuda,
225 engine, Quadrajet, HEI, Dutra Duals, 904 Torqueflite, 2.76:1 axle, Addco front bar
Rods & Relics - Fort Erie, ON / Collector Car Tech

Yes, to go just past 180' and open the thermostat.
Yes, door is functioning perfectly.

I don't do alot of highway driving yet. I will have sometime this weekend to drive faster and see what the results are. I know it won't reach operating temp. in 10 minutes right now.

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1964 Dart GT

I think your thermostat is not fully closed below 180°F.

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1965 Plymouth Barracuda,
225 engine, Quadrajet, HEI, Dutra Duals, 904 Torqueflite, 2.76:1 axle, Addco front bar
Rods & Relics - Fort Erie, ON / Collector Car Tech

Yes, that was my first thought too, so I bought another 180' thermostat with no change. I will try the SHAW brand and see what happens. I boil tested both thermostats and they both opened and closed like they should.

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1964 Dart GT