What type of thermostat is best?..

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greymouser7

greymouser7

Vagrant Vagabond “Veni Vidi Vici”
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to buy for: a very hot part of the country that doesn't get cold (maybe the 30's at most for a week or two), 360ci engine, A/C, heavy B-body, it got to a hundred degrees for several weeks before I deployed.

I tried the thermo clutch fan, a larger radiator (26inch from 22 inch) and am still getting overheated in idle in traffic and if I floor it on the highway on hot days it gets real close to "too hot."

I was trying to remember if you guys said to go with 195, but a few of the Chevy guys on my boat recommended 180.

Thanks for your time.
 
I like the Mr Gasket high flow thermostats. Use a 195.
 
greymouser7 said:
to buy for: a very hot part of the country that doesn't get cold (maybe the 30's at most for a week or two), 360ci engine, A/C, heavy B-body, it got to a hundred degrees for several weeks before I deployed.

I tried the thermo clutch fan, a larger radiator (26inch from 22 inch) and am still getting overheated in idle in traffic and if I floor it on the highway on hot days it gets real close to "too hot."

I was trying to remember if you guys said to go with 195, but a few of the Chevy guys on my boat recommended 180.

Thanks for your time.
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Then you have other issues. Like the water pump doesn't have enough flow. You are turning the water pump too slow. Something like that. If the temp creeps at idle and slow speeds it's not the thermostat.
 
Is your system sealed tight?

Even a small leak can dramatically lower the boiling point.

...and in turn the coolant loss then makes it run even hotter.
 
He asked about the best thermostat, not to diagnose his over heating problem.

That said, unless the thermostat you have now is defective John, your over heating problem probably does lie somewhere else.

You also never said how hot hot is or when it over heats. That might help.
 
Ok, I see you say it over heats in traffic. How hot? Does it cool back down on the road?
 
Also, to the OP's question, I use the Stewart thermostats. They are a bit more money, but I saw some flow tests several years ago and those had the least restriction.


Plus, they are full open at the rated temp. Meaning, if you have a 180* stat it will be full open at that temp. Not starting to open.
 
yellow rose said:
Also, to the OP's question, I use the Stewart thermostats. They are a bit more money, but I saw some flow tests several years ago and those had the least restriction.


Plus, they are full open at the rated temp. Meaning, if you have a 180* stat it will be full open at that temp. Not starting to open.
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Do you have a link to those? I have tried to find them with no success. Thanks.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I like the Mr Gasket high flow thermostats. Use a 195.
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Have you had good luck and reliability with those Mr gasket hi flow stats? I can get one at local parts store for my 340 but have to order any other brand
 
Mine didn't last but a week before the temp started climbing every time I drove it. Bought an orielly cheapie problem solved.
 
Dartish said:
Have you had good luck and reliability with those Mr gasket hi flow stats? I can get one at local parts store for my 340 but have to order any other brand
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Had one in my truck over a year and it works fine.
 
I have great water flow! no T-Stat and a thermocouple to turn my electric water pump on at 160 degrees and my electric fans on at 185.
Probably wouldn't work so well on the street, but at the track it work vary well.
I also had a piece of alum welded in the water pump part of the timing cover, to increase water flow.( NO ONE make a HP water pump for a SB Chry, you have to improvise!!!!!
 
You said you have a clutch fan installed.....I agree with GTS.
Do you have a shroud on it?
If you don't, that clutch fan, is picking up all the air under the hood and blowing it back on the eng. its......Not an efficient way to do it!
one more thing, what is your 360 bored out too?
 
There's several hi flow water pumps for small block mopars. I just bought a Gates HV pump new, not reman for $25. Pumps a lot of water but it's not working too well with my cheapo 180 stat
 
Dartish said:
There's several hi flow water pumps for small block mopars. I just bought a Gates HV pump new, not reman for $25. Pumps a lot of water but it's not working too well with my cheapo 180 stat
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I'm not trying to be a arss her so don't take it that way. Pull that water pump off and shove a glob of clay in there and tighten it up. when you remove it, bet you have .080 Plus thousands clearance between the impeller and the housing. water under pressure just cavitates in the pump. aka goes no weres. without the water pump gasket, mine just kisses the housing.
A bigger impeller will flow more water.......if it can't just keep running around in the pump. Then it's not any better than anything else.
As far as mother mopar is concerned chry made two water pumps. standard and A/C pump. had more to do that the design of the impeller then the side of it.
My guess is that you got the A/C pump.(both are interchangeable)
 
Back in the day, I always bought pumps and told them I had a/c so I got the better pump supposedly and never had any cooling problems. Figured for the price I couldn't go wrong. Notice I DIDNT SAY I WAS HAPPY with it.lol Rev the motor and the bypass hose triples in size. If a hi flow stat doesn't help, a stickers going back on. Was just stating there are HV pumps out there, but finding ANY parts of decent quality seems to be a lost cause anymore
 
Dartish said:
Back in the day, I always bought pumps and told them I had a/c so I got the better pump supposedly and never had any cooling problems. Figured for the price I couldn't go wrong. Notice I DIDNT SAY I WAS HAPPY with it.lol Rev the motor and the bypass hose triples in size. If a hi flow stat doesn't help, a stickers going back on. Was just stating there are HV pumps out there, but finding ANY parts of decent quality seems to be a lost cause anymore
Click to expand...
yup.
Did you every say if you were using a shroud?
 
Yup. Using factory clutch fan and shroud. Not having any overheating issues. Just seems the stat isn't flowing enough coolant for the pump??? Never seen a bypass hose swell up like that when you rev it up
 
I thought you were exaggerating on that......time to replace that hose!!! something is wrong with it.
Water pumps are High Volume, Low pressure pumps, should not be able to do that.
 
LOL i thought you were the Op.
Looks like he hasn't posted sence his original post.........Hmmm
 
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