Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Early V8 (1932-53)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-18-2020, 11:39 PM   #1
Owlseye
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: DeBary, Florida
Posts: 69
Default Thermostats?

OK I am running an 8BA/EAB flat head in my 1933 BB truck. When I got this engine it had no thermostats in it. Guessing it is around a 1948-1952 engine. I am running dual temperature gauges. One left head and one right head. Both are in the head between 2nd and 3rd cylinder on each side. Should this engine have thermostats? If so what temp and where do I put them? In the upper hoses or in the heads? I realize that flat head Ford V8's are basically 2 four cylinder engines that share a common radiator and crankshaft. The temps that my engine is running are not even. The right runs hotter then the left. Do I need to flush the engine again or look for a reason for the temp difference? Before I put the engine in the truck from another truck it had been sitting many years. I pulled off the water pumps and flushed each side as well as I could by running water in thru the pump opening and back thru the heads to remove loose sediment in the block. I put new water pumps on the engine. I had Ronnie Robbins at Robin's radiator repair the radiator. It did not get a new core, but has great flow and no leaks. The truck seems to run hot. 190 to 200 degrees right hand, 180 to 200 left hand. When moving temp seems maybe OK. When you stop after about 5 or 10 miles it hisses and loses some water from the overflow pipe. I know these are not a pressurized system, so what is expected? Sorry for the long post, just trying to sort out the old boy and not do any harm.
Owlseye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2020, 12:12 AM   #2
petehoovie
Senior Member
 
petehoovie's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 7,933
Default Re: Thermostats?

Thermostats install in heads under these >



1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 Ford / Mercury Flathead V8 Thermostat Housings 8BA

I don't know if you are running a stock radiator or not but the 8BA in my stock '53 was pressurized with a 7 lb. radiator cap. Uses 180° stats. Given the temps you state, I don't think your engine is running hot. You might want to attach a puke tank on the radiator...
__________________
The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others....

"Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!"
"We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0

Last edited by petehoovie; 05-19-2020 at 12:34 AM.
petehoovie is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 05-19-2020, 12:15 AM   #3
flatheadmurre
Senior Member
 
flatheadmurre's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Sweden
Posts: 3,045
Default Re: Thermostats?

Engine seems to be running in the temp range itīs suppose to be.
OEM thermostats being 195F.
They should be located under the 2-bolt housing at the water outlet.
Since the engine is designed to run pressurised and the radiator ainīt...dependind on if the top tank can take some pressure you can install a pressure valve on the overflow tube of the radiator to make it loose less water.
flatheadmurre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2020, 12:58 PM   #4
JSeery
Member Emeritus
 
JSeery's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 16,132
Default Re: Thermostats?

The thermostats will help bring the engine up to operating temperature quicker and maintain a minimum temperature, but should have little to no impact on the temperature above that minimum. I would run at least 185 deg thermostats or higher.
JSeery is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2020, 01:15 PM   #5
Jockeyshift41
Member
 
Jockeyshift41's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: SW Florida
Posts: 51
Default Re: Thermostats?

Thermostats will also act as restrictors when it gets hot so that the liquid can stay in the radiator longer to be effectively cooled during higher rpms.
__________________
Al

Last edited by Jockeyshift41; 05-19-2020 at 02:52 PM.
Jockeyshift41 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2020, 02:01 PM   #6
KGS
Senior Member
 
KGS's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Schooley's Mountain
Posts: 530
Default Re: Thermostats?

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jockeyshift41 View Post
Thermostats will also act as restrictors when it gets hot so that the liquid can stay in the radiator longer to be effectively cooled.
Ok, I've got my big tub of popcorn...
KGS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2020, 05:22 PM   #7
flatjack9
Senior Member
 
flatjack9's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oshkosh, Wi
Posts: 4,516
Default Re: Thermostats?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jockeyshift41 View Post
Thermostats will also act as restrictors when it gets hot so that the liquid can stay in the radiator longer to be effectively cooled during higher rpms.
Fake news.
flatjack9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:39 PM.