Thermostat choice for my Duster 340

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Alan H.

Alan H.

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I recently bought my 1970 Duster, and from what I've seen online, it calls for a 195 degree thermostat. That seems really high, especially here in FL.
Do you guys go with the OE recommendation of 195 or drop to 180??
Are there any benefits to installing one or the other?
Thanks.
 
Try a stock part before trying fix what isn't broke. Check the radiator for efficiency. (Water flowing through.)
And the state of tune. Not running to rich or lean and a capable ignition system.

The factory out a 195* unit in there for a reason. I hope there engineers know what there doing.
 
Thermostats set the minimum temperature not the maximum temperature. If your car wants to run at 200 then there will be no difference between running a 180 and a 195. Ideally your coolant system, at worst case, should be able to maintain something below what the thermostat is set to. So usually if your system overheats is isn't the thermostat, assuming it is working.
So the questing is what temperature do you want the engine to run at?
 
The thermostat has zero to do with how hot an engine runs. Period.
 
The 195* t'stats showed up on the '72-'74 timeframe, with the first generation of emissions devices. It helped reduce hydrocarbon emissions.

Hotter temps tend to reduce engine wear to some degree, but the difference between 180 and 195 may not be that much. Running a cooler t'stat gives you a bit more cooling margin for transient hot conditions. I'd go with the 180 personally, mainly on long ago experience with the 195 engines running on the hot side 'back in the day'.
 
I'm a 150 miles North of you and only use a gutted thermostat, basically a restriction disc. Car runs at 170-180 on the highway or traffic. I have an old OEM with a 3 core in good shape, 6 blade flex fan and shroud.
The one or two cool fronts a year and it takes a few minutes longer to get to running temp. Both my cars also have no chokes.
 
I have 180 in my Duster and when cruising down the highway with temps in the mid 80's my car will run in the low to mid 170's and if I am held up in traffic it will climb to 190 and never go any higher. I live in NWPA where the humidty level is high in the summer..
 
180 degree ...would be my choice. Even if the factory put in 195 degree thermostats ....back in the day.
 
the thermostat can control the temperature....to a point,
If your system is functioning properly a 180 should run around 180 - 185.Change it to a 195 and it should run 195 - 200.A cooling system that is inadequate will find it's own temperature irregardless of the thermostat.
a 195 degree engine is more efficient,cleaner,reduces engine wear and arguably makes more power than the same engine operating at 160 or 180.
Guys freak out when their engines reach 200 degrees but nearly all newer engines operate well above 200 normally.
 
I like the way mine behaves with the 195 stat in it. My Avalanche runs at 210-220. You just need a good cooling system to engage when the stat opens.
 
I tend to run 195* T-stats on lower-compression engines (<9:1) and 180* above that. Having your engine run at a lower operating temp helps reduce pinging when you have higher compression. And having it run at a higher operating temp helps improve efficiency a bit when you have lower compression.
 
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