My truck has a small block Chevy in it, it's has a carburetor, with points, and an electric fan on a thermostat, no belt driven fan. Now that it's cold here, 30 deg, it doesn't get over about 150 deg. when I'm driving it around. I have a 180 deg thermostat in it, so it's not opening, and the heater won't get hot. What deg. thermostat should I put in it? My first thought was to go lower, but I'm not sure. I was told to go higher, but if a 180 won't open, how would a higher one open? I guess I could be like the locals and put cardboard in front of the radiator. Dean
if its not getting hot i'd say its one of two things, the thermostat is stuck open, or there nots enough water in the system to reach the heater core.
Does your top hose ever get hot? If not, Budd is right..... either not enough water or the stat's stuck open. If your sender isn't "in the water" it will read LOW...... Kinda sounds like NO water.
I'll check the water level, but it was topped off a couple months ago. And the thermostat was new and put in at that time. The sender is in the head.
Yep, your thermostat is probably stuck open or its opening too soon. Either replace it with another 180 or step up to a 195. The thermostat is suppose to stay closed until the coolent reaches the desinadated temp. At that point it opens to allow coolent to flow, until the coolent temp drops below the set temp and the thermostst closes. The cycle repeats until all of the coolent reaches the the set temp, then the stat remains open until the coolent temp drops below the set temp. If the stat is stuck open, the coolent flows through the rad and it takes a very long time to reach opperating temp. Gene
Hey All the above responses sound good. The first thing I would do is use my laser temp sensor to see if the temp gauge is correct. You could drive be a shop and have them check it. Many mechanics have the gun temps these days, and most of them love to use them ( I do ), real fun. They probably wouldn't charge you anything to check it (If you are in LA I will check it for free). I see people replace all kinds of parts because of a faulty gauge. We installed a brand new Sunpro Vintage Series temp gauge last week and it was doing the same thing. It was reading about 25 degrees cold. They are the black face, white numbers, chrome bezel, the cheap cool looking ones. I know this sounds stupid, but if you are not looking straight at the gauge level with it, many can look about 10 degrees or more off. Just trying to be helpful. Good luck. Wil Sakowski visit www.sakowskimotors.com
Dean, Just what's wrong with cardboard? You do want to fit in with the locals don't you? Myself being an ex resident from Sedalia, a 12 pack box in front of the radiator would be more like it. Most of the idiots there drive around with the windows down all year long in all kinds of weather even if it's raining or snowing. If you make it up to Jeff City let me know. Keith
Have the same problem on my Daily Driver Dakota pick up. I am curtly on the third thermostat. Stock 195. They seem to work ok for a while but then the temp gauge starts reader colder and colder as each week roles buy. My heater isn't that great when the gauge is barely above th C mark. I know its not the sending unit. What keeps making these things stick? I have completely flushed the whole system including the heater core after the first one I put in 15,000 miles ago.
YES! I will fit in with the rest of the Hoosiers around hear. It already has a bunch of peeling paint and the roof is spray painted with rust spots! I will make sure to duck tape it in so it's all goooey! STYLIN BABY!
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