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- Vehicle Year
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The SAE(society of automotive engineers), yes, the oil grade SAE guys, did a study back in the late 1970s/early 1980s about best engine temp for efficiency and longer engine life.....................
And that's where the 190 to 195deg thermostats came from, prior to the study pretty much everyone used 180deg and Degas setup
When coolant temp is at 190deg the engine gets better MPG and oil is warm enough to burn off contaminants better, than when coolant is at 180deg, it was an 8 or 10 year test
People ran 180deg for years and years its NOT bad, but 190deg is better, just science
Degas is when you don't fill up the radiator to the top, you leave an air gap so the coolant can expand as it warms up
Many car makers changed to an Overflow tank system instead of Degas system
With the overflow tank the radiator stays full to the top, as coolant heats up and expands rad cap opens and lets coolant flow over to the tank
Then as engine cools down coolant is sucked back into the radiator to keep it topped up, its self purging of air
And you can clearly see on the overflow tank if you are losing coolant, the cold and warm lines, and can add coolant to warm engine without opening rad cap, it will suck in the coolant from overflow tank
But there were improvements to Degas, Plastic Degas Bottles and you can see coolant level inside, so can tell if you are low on coolant, you just can't do anything about it until engine cools off, lol
And that's where the 190 to 195deg thermostats came from, prior to the study pretty much everyone used 180deg and Degas setup
When coolant temp is at 190deg the engine gets better MPG and oil is warm enough to burn off contaminants better, than when coolant is at 180deg, it was an 8 or 10 year test
People ran 180deg for years and years its NOT bad, but 190deg is better, just science
Degas is when you don't fill up the radiator to the top, you leave an air gap so the coolant can expand as it warms up
Many car makers changed to an Overflow tank system instead of Degas system
With the overflow tank the radiator stays full to the top, as coolant heats up and expands rad cap opens and lets coolant flow over to the tank
Then as engine cools down coolant is sucked back into the radiator to keep it topped up, its self purging of air
And you can clearly see on the overflow tank if you are losing coolant, the cold and warm lines, and can add coolant to warm engine without opening rad cap, it will suck in the coolant from overflow tank
But there were improvements to Degas, Plastic Degas Bottles and you can see coolant level inside, so can tell if you are low on coolant, you just can't do anything about it until engine cools off, lol