Help with Series 60 thermostat selection

This is actually a myth. Running coolant through the engine faster is actually better for any engine to equalize temperatures better, it just gets to a point where you use more power to flow coolant than it helps. Higher flow also helps pull steam bubbles away from the combustion chambers at a smaller size.

The reason removing T-stats hurts, is there is very little restriction, so the water pump cannot build extra pressure in the block. Higher pressure increases boiling point ans reduces pump cavitation. With a lower boiling point, steam bubbles around the combustion chambers can easily combine to make steam pockets.

As long as coolant is in the engine and radiator, heat transfer is not affected by flow rate. If you the coolant flows through the radiator twice as fast, it only has time to pull 1/2 as much heat from it, this is true. But, it's flowing through twice as often to get the other 1/2. The real problem comes from a lack of pressure, not too much flow.

I wrote an article on cooling system that can be found here:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzezeqah/id1.html

What goes on in a cooling system is fairly complex.

 

Hillman' had a few argosy a while back had the same problem. Try everything in the end they got a radiator specialist to custom make a new radiator end of problem. They're just not big enough to keep engine cool.

 

The fan stat which tells the fan to come on may be the problem. If you have 190 thermostats you would probably want a 205 fan stat. Also the setting in the ecm may not be correct. The fan stat on an electronic engine actually tells the ecm to turn on the fan.

 

well after reading some, I guess I'll give some more opinion. back in the day. the 70's we would take our thermo's out of our big block gm's. in the summer only. it made a big positive difference. we never overheated even doing 70 in 90 degree weather while others were on the side of the road with the steam bellowing out. our cars always ran cooler & we were not the ones in the shop with blown head gaskets either.

I at one time was hauling 82,000 lbs of lumber for 2 weeks for 350 miles, decided to let the fan do it's thing automatically. had the stock 190 thermo's in it. it would go to about 205 fan would kick on & bring it back down quick. nice. so I thought. my head gasket went out sometime during those pulls. I have put 160's in it & 170 & 180. I have been told the coolant flows too fast to keep engine cool & the air coming thru the front of rad is not in rad long enough to cool it? hmmm.. well what about idleing? there is no air coming thru the front cause your not moving, but truck does not overheat. I have not had any negative issues from running 160-70-80 in my truck in the summer time.


I would love to run 160 in the summer & 190 in the winter. though with my original air to air & rad. this year I am going with a new 4 core rad( prob from detroit rad) & a new charge air cooler. that may change my need to run cooler stats. when I run 160's I just have a real peace of mind. watching temp gauge stay in 180-190 on level ground, just the outside temp is hot enough to keep my temp 10-or more degrees hotter then my thermo's. while going thru hoover al. every day there is always. every day in the summer one or more big trucks at the top of the northbound grade on shoulder overheated.

I would be one of those trucks if it were not for my 160's or 170's. my opinion is if you try a 160 it cannot hurt anything. but let truck overheat & it can cost you plenty. if I were you I would not hesitate to go with 160. if I were there, I'd help you put them in. with me having a intl coe, it is more hard work to change mine.

 

I have 12.7 in 2002 century.In chicago winter idle temp goes below 150f but uphill loaded goes over 200f abd then fan turns on.My cabin heat doesnt seem to work.It blows hot always.Is it a bad thermostat or something else?