Hi Folks,

Just to see what variation I might get, I dropped several 180 deg and 195 deg thermostats in freshly boiled water. None of them budged at all (opened), not even a crack.

Boiling water is 212 F at sea level and about 208 at my elevation. Why would the thermostat springs not allow opening?

I was hoping to choose one of the 195 units with a lower opening temperature since I often get a bit too hot with a 195 (more like 210+) and not hot enough with a 180 (close to 180).

Thanks for your thoughts,

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I wonder if the boiling water test is not enough to get them to Open?


Do they need to be in the Flow of water for the copper puck and spring to work correctly?

I use a 180 in my volare - with the head work etc that I have the 195 is too hot.


Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

I found the 195 a little hot as well. I ran 195 in the winter for the heater and 180 in the summer.

I tried the boiling water thing once....didnt work. I compress the spring by hand to see if the spindle thingy moves freely.

Although they keep the coolant at a specified temp it does not necessarily mean thats when they open.....


Sounds similar to electic fan debates.

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

try this

"A thermostat can be tested by suspending it, using a string through the valve, in a bucket of boiling 50/50 coolant and water. If the thermostat is working it will fall off the string as it starts to open after being in the hot/boiling coolant for a few minutes. When removed and allowed to cool, the thermostat should close."

"good" thermos should open within 4 degrees the the labled temp.

Whenever I have done the boiling water test I have found that the thermostats are slow to show visible movement. It is difficult to tell accurately when movement starts because I am trying to watch through boiling water. The thermostat on a string trick is a good idea.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

The t'stat on the string thing is in my '62 FSM. Use that as an indicator.

Also, in testing temp sensors, I use the falling temp of water to make actual measurements; the fall of the temp of a pot of water is a lot slower than the rate of temp rise on a typical stove, and the measurements are a lot more accurate that way. So you might try that.

Thermostats seem to respond gradually, so you have to maintain the water temperature while the stat heats up.
It's my understanding that you're heating wax inside the bulb, which expands to overcome the spring pressure.
Suspending the stat and a thermometer in the water (off the bottom of the pan to prevent false readings) as it heats up lets everything come up to temp at the same time.
Then just read the meter when the stat opens.

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O==\=/==O

"A mechanic is Somebody."
- Jim Preston

Thanks, folks. I will try some different experiments later. For now, I slapped the most solidly build (and likely oldest) of my 195 tstats in the car for the M-D trip.

Best,
Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

for what its worth

I have gone through simular experiments on the D150

ran a OE 195 thermo, a 180 and a 160..

I have no test track or dyno stats to prove it,, but the engine definately felt 'sharpest' with the 195

maybe indicates a fuel atomization issue and the higher engine temps help that Engine oil may be a bit thinner also,,

don't know just guessing..

Definitely keeps the fuel in suspension better with a hotter temp. Oil effect will be negligible.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Oil won't be thinner, it'll be cleaner.

See here.

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