testing T-stat in boiling water..
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,771
Likes: 33
From: Bradenton Florida
testing T-stat in boiling water..
guys I am trying the old primitive test. Seems I am running hot lately. I been running a 160 t- stat for 6 years. car never got over 185.
last year I installed AFr210's and ran mostly 190.
This year I am running between 200-220. Somthing wrong. Radiator is clean. On my fourth cam so I clean it every time ;) water pump is about 5 years old but only has about 5000 miles on it. Funny my temp was really fluctuating alomst like I had air in the system. I filled it up after last cam in stall like I always have.
Anyone ever check a t-stat in boiling water on the stove??
I had to pull the throttlebody off to clean the IAC. never done...probrably since 85. I just swapped the whole assm when I installed the 58mm..
Sine the TB was off and the water neck right there I am checking it.
any other ideas out there??
Thanks
Dennis
last year I installed AFr210's and ran mostly 190.
This year I am running between 200-220. Somthing wrong. Radiator is clean. On my fourth cam so I clean it every time ;) water pump is about 5 years old but only has about 5000 miles on it. Funny my temp was really fluctuating alomst like I had air in the system. I filled it up after last cam in stall like I always have.
Anyone ever check a t-stat in boiling water on the stove??
I had to pull the throttlebody off to clean the IAC. never done...probrably since 85. I just swapped the whole assm when I installed the 58mm..
Sine the TB was off and the water neck right there I am checking it.
any other ideas out there??
Thanks
Dennis
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Re: testing T-stat in boiling water.. (BOWTYE8)
Yeah, do it all the time
but without a thermo to determine water temps in the pot, all you can really heck is wether it opens or not at some point
I have had some over the years that didn't open enough
That showed up in the pot test
:seeya
but without a thermo to determine water temps in the pot, all you can really heck is wether it opens or not at some point
I have had some over the years that didn't open enough
That showed up in the pot test
:seeya
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 0
From: Lockport NY
Re: testing T-stat in boiling water.. (BOWTYE8)
This was an explanation given to me by an old-timer on thermostats...
The thermostat has a pea-sized glob of wax in its center; this is what opposes opening of the t-stat until a certain temp...The wax then melts, the t-stat opens...
As time and temp cycles advance year by year, the wax gets like bubblegum gets when you chew it...Drier and harder...
...Until finally it doesn't open when it should, and your temp skyrockets until it finally pops open...Usually after the water has boiled off...
Sounded logical to me...I change t-stats and anti-freeze every 5 years at the least now...
...Hoses I still gamble on... :crazy:
The thermostat has a pea-sized glob of wax in its center; this is what opposes opening of the t-stat until a certain temp...The wax then melts, the t-stat opens...
As time and temp cycles advance year by year, the wax gets like bubblegum gets when you chew it...Drier and harder...
...Until finally it doesn't open when it should, and your temp skyrockets until it finally pops open...Usually after the water has boiled off...
Sounded logical to me...I change t-stats and anti-freeze every 5 years at the least now...
...Hoses I still gamble on... :crazy:
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: testing T-stat in boiling water.. (BOWTYE8)
Sounds like your thermostat is defective. When thermostats are subjected to much higher operating temperatures than their opening temp (160 in your case), their opening temperature usually gets lower. When used too many years, they fail to open, or stick, or only open partially. Thermostats should be replaced periodically, like 2 or 3 years. I ran the one in my 74 vette until it failed as an experiment (180). It took 5 years.
Your cooling system was not designed to operate at 160 and a 160 thermostat will most of the time be wide open and be subject to temperature well over its opening temperature (185/190 by your admission), this shortens the life of the thermostat. I recommend you install the factory 195 or a 180 and keep in mind that the cooling system was designed to operate the engine at 195 F. 160 is too low to operate an engine. My 87 radiator is clean, I have a switch to force the fan on, a 195 stat and I replaced a defective water pump with a Stewart which has 41% more flow and at a stoplight in high 90 F weather and the fan on, my coolant goes to 200 and falls to 195 when I get underway. Here is yet another reason why you should not use a 160 F thermostat!!!!!
Your cooling system was not designed to operate at 160 and a 160 thermostat will most of the time be wide open and be subject to temperature well over its opening temperature (185/190 by your admission), this shortens the life of the thermostat. I recommend you install the factory 195 or a 180 and keep in mind that the cooling system was designed to operate the engine at 195 F. 160 is too low to operate an engine. My 87 radiator is clean, I have a switch to force the fan on, a 195 stat and I replaced a defective water pump with a Stewart which has 41% more flow and at a stoplight in high 90 F weather and the fan on, my coolant goes to 200 and falls to 195 when I get underway. Here is yet another reason why you should not use a 160 F thermostat!!!!!
