Thermostat?

[Ray A from PA]

How many of you run a thermostat in your Model A? If you have one do you use a 160 degree?

[dmaxweb]

Originally Posted by Ray A from PA

How many of you run a thermostat in your Model A? If you have one do you use a 160 degree?

My story
- Car runs fine
- Someone tells me I should have a thermostat
- Bought one and put it in
- Stuck closed
- Overheated
- Took it out and threw it away
- Car runs fine

Just my experience - ran fine for 80 years - adding one more thing to go wrong

I do run an air filter though

[JBR]

Have been running one for 10 years. 160 degrees. No problems. Car won't get to operating temperature without it.
JBR

[MikeK]

I run a 180. People seem to think a 160 will give cooler temps under hood and more margin for boilover, but I partially disagree.

You will not really experience a big difference in either under hood temp or boilover safety margin. The underhood temp is a function of the radiated heat from both the engine and the radiator. A cooler engine (160) will actually produce more waste heat into the water than when run at 180. The cooler 160 block will radiate less heat, but the radiator then needs to dissipate slightly more heat. The overall temp underhood may change less than 10 degrees despite a 20 degree difference in 'stats.

Boilover margin? If something is awry that is going to overload the maximum dissipation rate of the radiator, it doesn't matter is you start at 160 or 180. It's gonna happen. A cooler 'stat isn't a miracle fix.

The added benefits of the 180 stat are your oil will run hotter, getting rid of moisture in the oil and crankcase and improved gas milage/ drivability from better fuel vaporization and more complete combustion.

In the 60's I used to change the stat in my modern car ('60s car = modern) in the spring and fall between 160 and 180. I now think I was wasting my time.

[antiquepa]

Don;t have one, never had one since 2004 when I bought my roadster and she runs just fine.

[Bill Steiner]

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No thermostat. I'm in Texas 100 + temp. Bill

[Kurt in NJ]

I have had the same 160 degree thermostat for 20 years, it is 160 because it is what I found --in the trash at Hershey one year, it is the bi-metal coil type made to fit in the hose.

My car went from 18 mpg to 23 with just that change.

The car ran fine without overheating before the tstat.

I also remember helping my Father change 160-180 for summer-winter.

[Karl]

Thermostat in my Sports Coupe (160) Certainly makes it more drivable in the cold and I think probably increases gas milage. In my phaeton I went to install one and found a whole lot of brass guaze inside the top hose. It had obviously been put there to catch the rust of which there was some. I'm a bit worried about the thermostat blocking up with rust particles So decided against it . Am I being over cautious ?.-Karl

[Tom Wesenberg]

I run a 160* and it curred my coolant loss of 3 quarts per 50 mile trip. I use a 160 because that's what I had laying around.

[Kevin - Illinois]

I run a 160 degree. I like the consistancy of temperature it gives me. I have a 4 blade fan and a heavy duty radiator also.

[Mike V. Florida]

None in South Florida. Don't have many real cold days but did drive it in the '30's this year with no problems.

[Jim Baskin III Pa.]

Ray.I run 160 in summer and 180 in winter.Do your engine a favor,get it to operating temperature and keep it there.