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Engine temp


odeek9

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
67
City
Monte Rio,Ca
Vehicle Year
1986
Transmission
Manual
Hi,
Engine always runs around 160-165. I have a thing about temperature so when it lately began to run consistently at 175 I began to worry-needlessly I'm sure, but worry is worry. If it matters in this case I recently did my annual OCD fueled comp. test and it was 190, 190, 195, 190.
I don't know what the old thermostat opened at but I found a 160 at Rock Auto and installed it. Have put about 20 miles on it in 70 degree weather and it won't budge above 130 except when I returned to it after shopping and it was about 150-went right back to 130 within a mile or two.
Now I did spend a lot of time burping it and used new, straight antifreeze. I'm happy about it running cold as I live in a year round moderate climate but it just seems like it runs too cold. Has a manual temp gauge I put in a couple of years ago and it seems to be fine and I checked various engine points with my laser temp gun and all were 130-180.

Any thoughts? Thanks
 
Well, considering the propensity for these engines to crack heads under high heat I would say your concern is probably worthy...quite a bit more than I would invest in this other than regular maintenance including:

Changing the hoses (all of them) every two or three years as well as the fluids.

Using only distilled water in the rad and premium anti-freeze is also an excellent approach.

Keeping short sections of tube connectors on hand (to bypass heater core)

Spare top and bottom rad hoses

Spare jug of concentrated anti-freeze and a spare rad cap.

Carrying spare water pumps was never in my books but something you might consider as well as a tube of gasket making goop.

I only developed the OCD of checking my rad fluid and other components after the second head crack and probably close to $2000 in rebuilds and other lost time/money due to overheating.

EDIT: I was thinking that "Hood curls" was a bicep exercise that I was addicted to with the number of times I've raised and lowered the hood to check on the cooling system...could probably add some weight to the hood to get a better workout...or maybe open and close it until muscle failure for better endurance....
 
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Well, not exactly encouraging, lol. Some of your advice I already have done and some I probably will in the future. There was a foul up by the garage in acquiring an engine for me for the original price-couple thousand if I remember correctly-so in order to honor their commitment I got a considerably more expensive Jasper remanufactured. I hope their quality is as I've read thus allaying any fears about a cracked head-but thanks for putting that seed in my puny brain:icon_twisted:
 
Just a suggestion or two is all...and what you are doing is probably enough...protecting your investment is a sound approach...
 
Well you are not doing your engine any favors running at that low of a temp, not my opinion, it is from research done by S.A.E. the oil guys, and Ford
Ford switch to 190deg Thermostats in the late 1970's because of that.

The 2.3l and all Lima engines are very cold running, they even make a 205deg thermostat for them to be used in colder climates.

Research shows that coolant temp in the 195-215deg range will keep the oil cleaner, and keep the cylinder temps at the best temp range for complete combustion so best MPG, and longer engine life.

Yes, in the "old days" there were reasons to keep temp down lower, but newer bearing materials and oil formulas show longer engine life at that coolant temp range.

This is strictly a choice, but I think you will find you are basing your decision on old info.

And coolant needs to be 50/50 mix for best cooling and heat conduction, if you spend months in below freezing temps then 40/60 or 30/70 water/coolant is OK for the antifreeze part
 
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Even in a older (60's and earlier) engine, a 180 thermostat is the lowest you should go. Anything much lower than that will have problems with moisture building up in the oil and even fuel dilution (although minimal) from gases that pass the rings. Combustion by-products other than water will pretty much build up in the oil no matter what temperature thermostat is used.
 
OK, thanks all. I guess that I'll need to put a different thermostat in. But not tomorrow. In my "old" way of thinking heat equals damage in so many things. But it's not as simplistic as that I guess. Thanks again
 
I vote with rond and gw33gp. The engineers at FoMoCo decide the factory stat based on their research and design parameters. For that reason, and fuel economy, and being warm in the winter... I would go with their recommended temperature thermostat.
The engine will try to heat the coolant, which should be 50/50 per the anti-freeze manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer except in severe cold temperature climates, up to the temperature the thermostat opens. Once the coolant in the block passages reaches that temperature, coolant will flow through the outlet, but the thermostat will close back down if the temperature falls. If it is cool enough, the radiator will hardly get warmed at all.
If the coolant does not get hot, then the oil will not get as hot as it should, or will take longer to reach full temperature. If you do short trips, you might find that condensation forms inside the crankcase from the blowby leakage. The condensation will then fall or drip into the oil. It will then form an acid with the HzCx combination products of combustion. The acid in turn will eat away at the easiest metal it can find to chemically connect with. I am pretty sure that happens to be the bearing insert metals.
You don't want acid eating at your engines gizzards, so you have two choices, either run the engine to full temp on every trip as the hot oil will cause the condensate to vaporize and be fed through the PCV valve, or change the oil to drain the condensation with an oil change.
If you run the engine at the factory spec'd temp, you will have minimal condensation, and thus less possibility of acid damage.
So, for all those reasons, vote for me! .... Oh, never mind.
So, for all those reasons, the factory recommended thermostat temperature is the one to install. Best fuel economy, cleanest crankcase, longer life for just about everything, including the oil in the crankcase. My 45 copper clads worth.
tom
 
Oh, geez Tom, I didn't realize you were running in this election...lol

I saw the temp listed but didn't say anything about the temp of the thermostat...not because I thought it was a good temperature to run your engine at...

I agree that the temp is a bit low for these engines...probably not nearly as destructive as an over heat would be but getting up there in terms of longevity. The OP mentioned his OCD about the heat and I would hope that would carry over to things like oil changes and other regular maintenance stuff.

I was, even for my old beater 2.0 that had more blow-by than useable blow...
 

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