What is the correct thermostat temperrature for 351C

[BrandonDindorf]

I believe these fact to be true to a point. The issue is temperature effects the function on the engine as much as torque specs on an engine can. It is true that engines are designed to be extremely robust and function under extremes, however vehicles that run consistently at a certain temperature are worn in a way that is a direct result of the warping of the motor at that temperature. For overall operating life one set temperature and one set driving behavior is critical. Just spinning an engine past it's normal operating range (where the rings have seated) in higher use motors can be the death of the rings. The lip on cylinder walls can and will damage the rings, and yes this can happen because the faster you go the more stretched the components are. Others can shed different perspectives but I say find your range and stick to it. Heat, RPM, and oil and the biggest life or death of motors.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

Now this only holds true at a specific load level, so this is an example of why the right thermostat isn't the one with the lowest number (sometimes)

MY COOLING SYSTEM UNDERSTANDINGS AS TAUGHT TO ME BY AN EVIL GENIUS

If you assume a 180 degree thermostat in your vehicle driving under your more extreme conditions of your intended use and if the cooling system is keeping the engine around 200, the thermostat will never close and the coolant circulates continuously and can never full release its heat load through the radiator, nor pick up its full load from the engines internals. . . .BUT if you just change to a 195 thermostat with all else being equal, the 195 degree thermostat will cycle as engine speed/ car speed will vary the temperatures just enough, then the radiator will have slow moving water shedding heat while the block heats up the water and causes the thermostat to open again. Also, this thermal pressure increase causes almost instant expansion then the pressure is released and this causes flow through the cooling system much like a secondary pump. When it all works together that cycling results in a COOLER engine from a higher temperature rated thermostat.

with the increased cooling the same vehicle with the 195 degree thermostat will have less heat transferred to the engine's vital internal parts.

All that being said I would wager that the majority of engines failing prematurely are failing due to the neglect of the oiling system and the fuel system

 

[Mach1Club.com]

Im also having the same issue with heating up and it makes me nervous. Tonight I drove about 20 miles on the Highway at a steady 70mph, Id say temps were still in the 100's. Ive replaced the radiator, water pump, all hoses, and running a 180 t-stat obviously all new coolant.

Anyone else find a solution to this? My next step is to add a different temp gauge to see if the original one is weak. However it did piss all over the ground when I got home. Im going to look it all over in the morning. Its pretty discouraging I gotta tell you, spending a lot of money and having this BS issue. On a side note the heater core is bypassed for the time, until I can spend the many hours fixing it, was waiting until the weather breaks in Phoenix hell. This shouldn't create any issue should it??

Took some photos to show the gauge and the piss.

 

[marks73]

Our factory gauges really are not that good. You can't beat an analog gauge with a quality movement like Sterwart Warner. Also, as Jeff pointed out, the pressure release when the thermostat opens is important. Yes water boils at 212 deg at atmospheric pressure. It takes a much higher temp to boil as the pressure is increased. Our engines are like small boilers operating at 13 psi so 200deg is not excessive. There is a reason engineers chose 192. And while I'm not ready to argue thermo-dynamics. Their reasoning is good enough for me.

 

[matrixx]

some very good information in this thread.

:goodpost:

 

[Mustruck]

Now this only holds true at a specific load level, so this is an example of why the right thermostat isn't the one with the lowest number (sometimes)

MY COOLING SYSTEM UNDERSTANDINGS AS TAUGHT TO ME BY AN EVIL GENIUS

If you assume a 180 degree thermostat in your vehicle driving under your more extreme conditions of your intended use and if the cooling system is keeping the engine around 200, the thermostat will never close and the coolant circulates continuously and can never full release its heat load through the radiator, nor pick up its full load from the engines internals. . . .BUT if you just change to a 195 thermostat with all else being equal, the 195 degree thermostat will cycle as engine speed/ car speed will vary the temperatures just enough, then the radiator will have slow moving water shedding heat while the block heats up the water and causes the thermostat to open again. Also, this thermal pressure increase causes almost instant expansion then the pressure is released and this causes flow through the cooling system much like a secondary pump. When it all works together that cycling results in a COOLER engine from a higher temperature rated thermostat.

with the increased cooling the same vehicle with the 195 degree thermostat will have less heat transferred to the engine's vital internal parts.

All that being said I would wager that the majority of engines failing prematurely are failing due to the neglect of the oiling system and the fuel system

 

[wwhite72]

the correct operating temp for a Cleveland is ABOVE 180 degrees...around 190 i believe. i am not familiar with the cycling theory but it sounds good...as long as the rest of your cooling system is functioning withing OEM specs, which most of our radiators are not. i installed a 3 core "tropical" radiator along with an alum Edelbrock waterpump and new hoses with the SPRING in the lower hose, Canton thermostat housing, new thermostat, and most of my cooling problems went away immediately. Added the replacement steel fan with correct spacer (50% of blades in shroud, max) and updated ignition so i could advance my timing and almost no probs now, except when the 2500 stall converter starts heating up the FMX. Timing can be one of the biggest problems with over heating! If anyone wants to try a change start with a 192 thermostat. it's $25 bucks !

 

[Tubo]

Im also having the same issue with heating up and it makes me nervous. Tonight I drove about 20 miles on the Highway at a steady 70mph, Id say temps were still in the 100's. Ive replaced the radiator, water pump, all hoses, and running a 180 t-stat obviously all new coolant.

Anyone else find a solution to this? My next step is to add a different temp gauge to see if the original one is weak. However it did piss all over the ground when I got home. Im going to look it all over in the morning. Its pretty discouraging I gotta tell you, spending a lot of money and having this BS issue. On a side note the heater core is bypassed for the time, until I can spend the many hours fixing it, was waiting until the weather breaks in Phoenix hell. This shouldn't create any issue should it??

Took some photos to show the gauge and the piss.

As long as it isn't loosing coolant during actual running there isn't a problem. Now puking coolant after engine shut off, can lead to eventual loss of enough coolant to effact things. Easy solution insure the factory coolant recovery system is working properly. Should be enough total coolant then.

You can top off your system. Drive the car for a while let it sit to throughly cool. Then check for total coolant loss from the radiator. You can even repeat this process through several cycles to guage if your really loosing enough coolant as you may be concerned. Plz understand normal "full" on the radiator is bout 1" down from the filler neck. NOT brimmed full.

Tubo

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

they typically will puke down to the right level. Check it cold and if you are an inch or two down, that is where it should stay. It is common that people overfill. After a couple of pukes it should stop. In the meantime check it cold for a few days worth of driving.