Thermostats ?
 

I recently spoke with a nice Gent at Charlotte Auto Fair who drive's a 40 sedan like he stole it on the turnpike and he has pretty much convinced me to install thermostats in the old girl.
I had some NOS Harrison's on the shelf that have been sitting for while. I brought them up and put them in a pan of water on the stove. Using a meat thermometer they did not open until about 196 degree's even though the box said 171 degree's Would any of you folks trust them or go to NAPA and get some modern type ? :confused:

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Napa and spend the extra and get the premium ones.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Would you happen to have a NAPA part # ?

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Check the thermometer in a pan of boiling water .Just a thought.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

thm 170 is what i literally put in my truck last night.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

The box is marked 171 but they did not open until 196 according to the thermometer.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

NAPA or 2nd thermometer.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

I use Stants I got from Summit. They're for a Subaru Justy, open at 180, but most importantly, they flow 25% more coolant than the ones listed for Ford. If you do a search, you'll find old posts referring to them and the part #.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Sounds like your 40 may well have a 59A engine in it. If so, the Stant 14157 thermostat that was made for the 1990 Subaru Justy fits perfectly and is higher flow than any other that fits your car. Here's why: http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143576
Sold by NAPA as part number THM 111, or O'Reilly part number 2962 which is also Murray part number 4157. All the same stat. The original style thermostat is Ford part number 11A 8575 B and is sold by C&G here: http://cgfordparts.com/ufolder/cgcat...&sp=Search+%23 But is a lower flow than the Stant one.

Here are other threads on the topic:

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=112889

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113366

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113979

P.S. Don't use the rubber gasket that the Stant stat comes with. It just rolls off and jams up. Just take it off and chuck it before installing the stat. Also, to secure the stat from pushing up, turning 90° and not working, secure it with one very thin strand of stranded wire as follows:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...psdda17c13.jpg

.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Thank you Henry, I was waiting to get your input. I will head to NAPA tomorrow AM which is closer than any of the other parts stores for me. There has been some talk in the past about drilling a small hole in the plate ? Any one ?

Re: Thermostats ?
 

I hesitated to pitch in 'cause I wasn't sure what engine a '40 had in it.

I'd call NAPA before driving far to make sure they have the THM 111 in stock before making the trip.

Yes. I drilled a 1/6th inch hole in the flange to let the air through when filling.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Yes just drill a 1/8" hole of to the side.

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Only 3 miles to town and I need to make a dump run which passes by anyway !

Re: Thermostats ?
 

OK, got the thermostats from Federated Auto Parts with a part # 419-180 made in Israel. Problem now to seal. Tightened clamps quite well and added liquid back and leaked like crazy. Was hoping it would seal around the little wires without gasket shellac or some thing that would be a "bear" to pull apart later on if needed. What all you guys using ?

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Authentic thermostats are readily available and fit as designed. Check out eBay or give me a shout.
It is a good idea to test new thermostats. I find that out of ten, maybe one or two does not function properly. Best to figure that out on the stove vs. in the engine.

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Hey Kube, I can still do that as the hoses are off at the moment and I almost did check but in a "pucker" I guess. Probably check tomorrow and thanks, B

Re: Thermostats ?
 

I wonder what kind of hose clamps you are using. The old stock style don't squeeze hard enough. I have to put modern screw type clamps on and squeeze them down as hard as they'll go 'till the leaking stops. Then put a stock one above or below it (wherever it will fit), tighten it down, then I can remove the modern style if I really want the authentic look. If looks don't matter, use a modern style clamp. I even had to get an industrial grade hose clamp that uses a nut and bolt to tighten to get my lower radiator hose to seal.

Also, if you're using the wires as I illustrated, they have to be a very thin strand pulled from a piece of small gauge stranded wire for the hose to seal around them.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

You can avoid the wire hold-down by pinching the hose a bit with another hose clamp just above the thermostat sealplate.

Jack E/NJ

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Henry, that may be where I screwed up a little bit. The wire size is .025 I thought it would seal and I'm using the old type clamps like original. I'll mess with it some more. If this is the worst problem a guy can have these days, we're "Golden" right ?

Re: Thermostats ?
 

You are "Golden" indeed.

Here's a photo of the stranded wire that I pulled one strand out of to secure my thermostats.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9f69fddd.jpg


For many years I just threaded the wire through the stat like this:

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...l/IMG_3740.jpg

But, one time I was messing with the thermostats I hit upon the idea to twist on end of the wire around the other and cut it off. More secure. Easier to install. And only two wires to squeeze the hose down on instead of four.

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Hmmm, that wire appears to be thicker than what I used. I seem to have plenty of time to dabble with them as N. H. is going to be "Perma frost" year round I guess ! 40 degrees at 6:45 AM

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Why do you think wiring the thermostat down this way is needed?

Jack E/NJ

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Well Jack, it was suggested by others that with a shorty like they are using it could push up and turn sideways in the hose. I got some this past week and tried them in a pan of very hot water and neither one opened as far as I could tell. (Kube said you should check them first before install) A good idea. I went back to my stash and found I had several more old stock Harrison's. I guess they might have been checked once before as there was grease pencil marks that said 197 on the box's even though they were factory marked 171. I put them all in hot water and picked the two closest matching set which did open at 196. Put them in this AM and fingers crossed they will work like they are supposed to.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

197 might be pushing it! Be interesting to see how they work out.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Yes, I understood that point. But why not simply squeeze or pinch the hose a little just above the water neck with another hose clamp. Then the thermostat inside the hose ain't gonna go anywhere. No wire needed. No leaks. See post #18 of this thread.


Jack E/NJ

Re: Thermostats ?
 

Hi Jack (don't say that in an airport, lol),
The reason that most of us prefer not to install the additional clamp is that we want to keep our vehicle `show correct'. We want it to look as original as possible.
I have had my thermostats get loose in the hose, and at that point, they are not functioning.

Re: Thermostats ?
 

When you get to a show, they are easily removed.

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I don't do shows. 8^)

Jack E/NJ