Removing the thermostat?

[Eliems]

My 429 runs an even 210 degrees in traffic, a little hot! I thought that taking the thermostat out might allow coolant to run free and drop the op temp a bit.

Mechanic suggested it might actually run hotter as the thermostat slows the coolant keeping it in the rad longer.

What is the truth here?

[double ugly]

Your mechanics right. What thermostat are you running?
John

[wtm442]

Double Ugly John is 100% correct.

Do not remove thermostat. It will overheat (boil over) much quicker in stop and go traffic.

Replace thermostat. Is radiator clogged?

[Eliems]

No the rad is new, the car ran at 190 with the old rad but they replaced it because the outlet did not match the inlet on the block. The new rad went in and she runs steady at 210 degrees. Is this too hot?

I might transition to a cooler thermostat then and perhaps go to a higher flow fan. Thanks for the answer, I guess it does make sense.

I gather the twin pusher fans I see on some Cobras are more show than funtion?

Thanks, Greg.

[G.R.]

For the most part the twin pusher fans do not seem to work as well as a large high cfm puller type fan.
There is a guy up here running a pretty well built 428 that for some reason runs hot, he uses a puller fan and if he is in stop/go traffic or the temp starts to climb he manually turns on his twin pushers to help force air through the rad.

[1blackbb66]

A good flush a fill may be in order unless you already did when the raid was replaced. Removing the T stat will not cause it to overheat faster.....this is a common belief but is just a myth. The system mean temp will be higher but the cooling rate will be the same. Is the new raid of the same cooling capacity?? It may look the same but does it have as many tubes, fins and tank volume.
Here is what I do;
Use a Stant heavy duty 190* Safety Stat. These have much better flow and if they go bad they stick open not closed. Drill a 3/32 hole in the port area of the stat as a bypass. This helps the stat "read" the water temp a little better than all the water just going through the bypass hose. (you may have seen this on some OEM stats)
Use only enough good quality, long life anti freeze to keep from freezing in your area. 70/30 should be fine. Plain water has much better heat transfer properties and ALWAYS, ALWAYS use distilled water. Tap water has all kinds of crap in it that you don't want in your cooling system.
Put in a quart of "water wetter". There are different brands out there but it's pretty much all the same stuff. This reduces the water's surface tension which aids in cooling and it usually has some extra corrosion and anti foam inhibitors.
Use at least a 13lb cap. This will keep your boiling temp at about 225-230 degrees.
Do this and you should be fine. My 460 will idle in traffic all day on a 90* day with no problem. I have twin pancake pusher fans on a t-stat and the only time they run is when I'm in traffic for awhile.
Go to www.radiator.com for more good info.

Ray

[Michael C Henry]

When I was 18 years old I had a Hot 406 in a 55 Ford . I ran no thermostat and a F 100 truck 4 row radiator . No real fan shroud but a wide raditaor . Engine idle was 1500 RPM, really wild cam probably carb problems too. My temps were 200+ in Iowa summer heat.
I'm also thinking you have other problems other than the thermostat. What your seeing is the temperature that is the result of the process of how much heat your creating and what can be lost to the atmosphere. If outside temps go up the resulting engine temp would also be higher, I'll bet. First , are you getting enough fresh air across the radiator fins? You have to get fresh cooler air into the radiator fins and you have to get the used heated air out from behind the radiator and out from under the hood. Does a spray of cool garden hose water into the radiator effect the temp? The thermostats setting is just where it starts. I'm sure you've checked somethings but there are so many points that could cause this. A plugged radiator, thermostat bypass ( that little hose between the intake manifold and coolant pump) plugged, compression leak into fluid system, is the coolant pump actually moving fluid agressivelly. What is the history of this combination? If it worked before ,what have you changed since. If you just had rebuilt the engine I'd wonder if the head gaskets were turned so the large coolant passage at one end was at the rear as it is supposed to be. If one or both head gaskets were positioned so the coolant opening was to the front. This condition would cause the coolant flow to be a short loop out of the pump into the engine block , upward into the front of the head and to the thermostat. Coolant at the rear of the engine would be somewhat stagnet, Letting temps get out of hand ( above boiling) causing gasses which do not conduct heat as well as fluid. It would mix with the circulating coolant and average out.
Thing to check ,start the engine, as system is starting to heat and system is not up to temp and under pressuer yet Squeeze the hoses, is the large upper hose out of thermostat to radiator somewhat stiff and pressureized and radiator return hose ,at the bottom of the radiator going to the coolant pump, softer and collaspsable? That would indicate a plugged radiator. Where is your coolant fill point should be the highest point in the system? If it is between the thermostat and radiator and as ususal when just starting a cold engine can you remove the pressure cap without coolant belching out?
In a free flowing coolant system coolant is pulled from the bottom of the radiator by the coolant puimp and forced into the engine block . It should flow out of the thermostat and fall through the radiator. The pressurized cap comes into play to increase the boilnig temperature point.

[CHANMADD]

Whatever the "MYTH" you should never run your motor without the thermostat.If your motor isw running steady at 210 your problem will most likely be solved by switching to lower temp thermostat.I have run a 190 thermostat and two puller fans for 20 years and my car has always run steady at 190. Good luck.Also a lot of Mercedes run at 215 as a normal operating temp with no ill effect.

[ROUSHAC]

I remember hearing a quote a LONG time ago (I think it was from Semon "Bunky" Knudsen) that said: "Functional mechanical parts are in a car for a reason. Parts that aren't needed cost nothing for the car maker to buy, install, or warranty. If it's in there, you need it, because if you didn't need it, the car makers wouldn't put it in your vehicle in the first place."

[double ugly]

Originally Posted by ROUSHAC

I remember hearing a quote a LONG time ago (I think it was from Semon "Bunky" Knudsen) that said: "Functional mechanical parts are in a car for a reason. Parts that aren't needed cost nothing for the car maker to buy, install, or warranty. If it's in there, you need it, because if you didn't need it, the car makers wouldn't put it in your vehicle in the first place."

GOOD ONE. Makes too much sense.
John

[FUNFER2]

210 degrees in traffic is not much of a problem anyway. Puller fans are a lot more efficient. Be sure that you buy or build a fan shroud. A adjustable fan thermostat like the Flex-a-lite "black magic" or others work great. A lot guys think something is terribley wrong with temps over 200 ? Too cool of temps are harder on a engine than 190-220.

[Eliems]

Thank you for all the information guys! This site is a gem for a "mechanically handicapped" guy like me. Amazing how much I learn in here!

[ksmiff]

I have a Southern Automotive FE motor in mine. I live in the Central Valley in California. Summer temps get up to 110 degrees plus. I took the advice of Southern and knocked the center out of my thermostat which leaves about a quarter dollar size hole in it. Enough to restrict the coolant enough to get cooled and also add protection from the thermostat sticking if the car sits in the garage too long. Heaven forbid your car sits in the garage that much. I have the standard fan and radiator that Shell Valley sends in their kit. I have not seen the temp go past 200 degrees in the worst traffic on the hottest day.

By the way Thanks to Dana and the gang at Shell Valley as well as Bill and Susan at Southern Automotive. I love my car.