Thermostats/Flowkooler

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CRUZE 418

CRUZE 418

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
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The Flowkooler/Robert Shaw thermostats that have the soldered ring to fit the older housings may be the reason some of us have had a problem with leaking housings.
Look closely at the picture between the old stat on the right vs the new on the left. The outside of the center ring is almost 1/8" larger than the one on the right. It doesn't want to settle into the housing. So, looks like I am buying another Flashpower housing. Previously, I had gotten away with this with a Real Gasket silicone gasket, but hadn't noticed this until now. My Flowkooler water pump on the '69 blew the Real Gasket out. The '72 is a stock pump, but I am going to get another housing anyway.
Just throwing this out there.

20220606_203703.jpg
 
Update, just tried filing the edges of the little fins that help center the stat in the housing, that is all that it took to settle the stat in the housing. So I will give that a try again with the Real Gasket.

20220606_210903.jpg
 
The one on the left [ s/s tower ] is made in China. The all brass unit is an original made in USA.

Two things to note:
- the rated temp is the opening temp. Fully open [ full flow ] takes another 20-30*.
- I had to remove a Chinese 160 version from my engine because the engine ran too cool! Bench testing, I found it opened right about 160 but if the coolant cooled, it would not fully close until about 130-140*. No good. Have not tested the all brass version.
 
Correct, the brass stat on the right is an old 160 , probably made in the USA. Since I filed that housing, no leaks. I am using that modified 195 ° stat in both of my cars.
The '69 /418 and the "72 318. I have not checked them for opening and closing. I did make sure that the shutter was clocked correctly so that the 3 passages are wide open. They seem to work fine.
 
All these modern computerized, automated, laser guided manufacturing processes, and we can't buy decent quality parts to fit ANYTHING
 
We have kinda become Cuba, whatever it takes to keep it going. Progress I guess, at least we can get a lot of what we need. All that we can do is hang in there.
 
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