thermostat question

[76bonanza]

What temp should I use? I am thinking 180. daily driver stop and go traffic gets 100 in summer and sometimes below zero in winter.

Thanks for any thoughts

[SSC's76]

I use to swap 180* to 195* summer and winter, it got old. Get a good 195* stat a new radiator cap, fill the radiator with proper coolant/mix and make sure the fan is in good order and you will be fine. I use an S10 3 blade fan in my 76 coolant temp doesent get above 215* and its failry regular to see air temps 100*+ in the summer.

[piecesparts]

I run a 180 degree T/stat the whole year around, in all of my vehicles. Unless you live where it is really cold in the winter, you should not have a heating problem then. The 180 degree stat will give you a better power response than the higher one. Be sure to ask for a SUPER STAT when yo go to your parts house. These are better at regulating the temperature than a standard stat. There have even been articles about this in the magazines.

[iceman7329]

I have a four clyinder car that has two electric fans on it that run all the time and the car runs about 160 degrees, is that to low?

[piecesparts]

Well let's see---You live in Georgia and the cold weather down there is usually around the high 30s. I would not see a problem with running the car at 160 degrees for performance, but it may dampen the heating effect on your i nterior. There is such a thing as being to cold for proper combustion, but if the car is a fuel injected vehicle then it will run better due to the colder air charge into it. However, the colder temp will make the engine computer richen the mixture and then use more gasoline than at 180 degrees. Omly a small amount but every dribble counts.

[SSC's76]

Anything thats computer controlled fuel injection should use the Thermostat that is an OE temp. Some Quad 4's and turbo/SC engines use a lower temp t-stat as a patch to control detonation and prevent expansion on bi metal engines where aluminum and cast are mixed. Of course after prolonged operation of any engine its going to run a certain temp reguardless of what temp t-stat your running.

[piecesparts]

I disagree, I can control where my engine runs by changing the T/stat and the fan temperatur ON switch. If you look at ALL of the aftermarket products for improving performance, there is a large amount of them that lower the operating temp to get a better performance. The negative to this, of course, would be a more rich fuel charge to the engine. I have a lower T/stat in all of my vehicles (computer controlled and NON computer controlled) to get the best performance that I can. After prolonged operation the engine will come to the temperature that you set it at with the T/stat. If it is doing anything else but that you bought a bad T/stat.

[milehightoyz]

pay the extra couple bucks and get oe quality, dont get the junk they sell at checkers and auto zone unless you like replacing them often.

[piecesparts]

OE Quality from where? The Superstats are sold under NAPA, CARQUEST, and other name brands. I agree about the Checkers, Autozone, Western Auto, and O-Reilly's brands, A $1.00 part is always a $1.00 part, but a quality T/stat from a reputable name is good anywhere. The factory car parts departments are NOT normally dealers in the Superstat line, they would just send the blonde with the big chest down to O-Reilly's and get you one. I have had them in my vehicles for many years now and have had no problems with them, just made sure that I got what we paid for.



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