thermostat

[jetdog]

Took the '75 for its first hour plus ride yesterday. It ran great but I did notice the temp needle climbed higher than other '02's I've owned. About 3/4 up the scale, maybe a bit higher.

I bought this car for cheap with a blown head gasket. Repaired that but now I am concerned about overheating. It wasn't hot out yesterday in CT, about 65. Is there a way to tell which thermostat I have? THe only markings are BEHR and the number 6. Suppose I should change it out for one suited for warmer temps? Thanks, Jim

[jimk]

Often hard to see, but it will be stamped with the setting in degreesC on the housing. You will be lucky to see the markings with it installed.

[Mike Self]

didja make sure the head surface was nice and flat--and then retorque the head after a thousand miles or so?

Check the coolant level and make sure it's up to where it should be. Sometimes when you refill a drained cooling system you'll get air bubbles--esp in the heater--that take awhile to work out; when they do you discover the coolant level is lower than it should be.

cheers

mike

[allbim]

A lower temp thermostat makes an engine run colder only if the rest of the cooling system is working properly. All thermostats are wide open at temperatures slightly above their rating.

In other words, if your engine runs at 200 degrees, and your 180 deg thermostat is working properly, the thermostat is not the problem. Drain enough coolant out of your system to make the tubes in your radiator visible and check to see if some of the tubes are plugged with rust flakes. You will only be able to see a few tubes. If you see any plugged ones, there will be many more that you don’t see. If that’s the case, replace the radiator.

W. B.

[TobyB]

I bought the $29.95 IR temp gun a few months ago from HF-

it's been great for answering questions like this...

t