Runs TOO Cold

[Stumper]

Have an odd ball problem on my street car. Just installed a new aluminum radiator and now my engine will not warm up sufficiently. I am running a CSR electric water pump with no bypass and no T-stat or restrictors in the thermostat housing. Pump runs continuously. My last car had an electric pump and when I tried using a thermostat the upper (think is was the upper) hose would collapse when the engine cooled down since there was no bypass. I am assuming that I will run into the same issue with this car if I try a regular thermostat. Would one of the pre drilled thermostats from Stewarts give me the needed bypass and yet the restriction needed to warm up and have some regulation on temperature via the thermostat operation?

 

[62MAX]

You need a thermostat ,and don't choose a 160* .!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[66Satellite47]

A stat with the small hole in the face should cure the hose issue.

 

[Stumper]

I was thinking a 180 would be best but curious as to your thinking??

I think I may get one of the Stewart 180 t-stats that come pre drilled. Hopefully it will work as both a thermostat and bypass...

 

[Cranky]

Oils are produced to give the best protection at higher temps and 160 is a bit on the cool side. Some engines will even have accelerated cylinder bore wear when running too cold. It's actually better to run on the hotter side of 180 than it is to run on the colder side of 180. And why aren't you running a bypass? Have you tried a restrictor plate? I have a problem with my diesel running too cold in the winter time. It searches.....warms up, t-stat opens and it cools to 140 before the stat has a chance to close up some and it starts all over again. My fix was to restrict flow to the radiator after trying different t-stats and not helping. I can restrict 90% of that huge thing called a radiator and it'll run perfect temps when the outside temps are 65 or below!

 

[coloradodave]

I was thinking a 180 would be best but curious as to your thinking??

I think I may get one of the Stewart 180 t-stats that come pre drilled. Hopefully it will work as both a thermostat and bypass...

Consider that you can buy a good quality Stant thermostat for under $10.00, drill a couple of 1/8" holes in it and save over $20.00 by doing it yourself... and yes, 180* is appropriate.

 

[Stumper]

So, picked up a nice billet thermostat housing and a 180 t-stat this week and will get it installed shortly. Drilled 6 , 1/8" holes in the t-stat. Won't know how if the holes clear the rim until I get the housing off. We'll see how it all works out I guess..

 

[69roadr]

Why did you drill 6 holes in your T stat?

 

[Stumper]

So far the modified thermostat seems to be doing the trick. Ran the car up to temperature a couple times and it seems to warm up as it should and still has regulation to keep from overheating with no collapsed hoses on cool down. I'll be more convinced after running it around some.
I used 6 - 1/8" holes to approximate the open area of the 3 - 3/16" holes that Stewart uses on their thermostats.