BlackFox5.0 said:I have a 180 T-stat in my car, and it doesn't give me any heat when it's cold, and I need to change it as i have a leak there, so I was thinking about putting a 200* T-stat in, will this be too hot in the summer? I don't want to run into detonation problems, or hurt performance, but I hate not having heat at all. (I get luke warm heat at 180* on my autometer)
ECU5.0 said:i would do the cardboard thing...but i was just having problems with my car running hot (near the top of the R on the stock gauge) and it stopped just as quickly as it started.
Fox 5.0 said:cardboard idea??? im confused...
To answer the thread Q: "Whats the ideal engine temp for a slightly modified 302?" the ideal is 192*, just like a bone stock 302. A 200* t-stat would be too hot any time of year. It may be a good choice if you live in Alaska. All you need is a Motorcraft stock replacement 192* available at any Ford dealer for @$12. That's the temperature it was designed to run at. If you need to use a colder t-stat than stock in order to have good performance, then something is wrong. Ideally, the perfect performance scenario is cold fuel, cold air, and a hot engine. A 195* t-stat would probably be fine, unless you live so far south that you could throw a rock and hit Mexico- but even then you don't need a 180* t-stat to keep from overheating, most people find just using a flex fan or the cop spec fan clutch will keep it in check (again- unless something else is wrong) If you are leaking fluid anywhere, that is bad and needs to be addressed. A coolant leak doesn't have too be too extravagant to cause problems in several areas- including how well your heater works.BlackFox5.0 said:I have a 180 T-stat in my car, and it doesn't give me any heat when it's cold, and I need to change it as i have a leak there, so I was thinking about putting a 200* T-stat in, will this be too hot in the summer? I don't want to run into detonation problems, or hurt performance, but I hate not having heat at all. (I get luke warm heat at 180* on my autometer)
stangbear427 said:A 195* t-stat would probably be fine, unless you live so far south that you could throw a rock and hit Mexico- but even then you don't need a 180* t-stat to keep from overheating, most people find just using a flex fan or the cop spec fan clutch will keep it in check QUOTE]
stangbear, good stuff, as usual, from you. however, i beg to differ a little bit, since you replied about not even needing a 180 in hot southern climates.
the previous owner of my stang replaced everything with stock stuff (too dumb to upgrade). even with a new rad, water pump, 180* t-stat, fresh coolant (about 40 coolant/60 distilled water), new rad cap, new fan blade and h.d clutch and water wetter, if one chooses to run the a/c, all bets are off. i do live a stone's throw from mexico (tucson). we see temps of 110* in summer. when sittin in traffic, id run at around 200-205* (no a/c). now turn on the a/c (im already dying), and it climbs to 220 before i kill it. it would continue to escalate. now were i to have even one upgrade (esp:3 core rad), i bet all would be much better. now once ambient temps even get down to 95, i can run at 190-195. when it is ~75* ambient temp, i run at 170-180 (i have aftermarket gauge, obviously). so cooling system is up to par. just extreme heat is killer. my eclipse runs hot as heck in summer, while not getting warm enough while driving to get decent heat when cold out.
not trying to nit pick, but i was afraid that people in really hot climates with totally stock cooling systems would freak out based on what you said, thinking something horrible is wrong. every 5.0 i know of here, runs a 180 or 160, have 3 cores and some have mark 8 fans just to cope with the heat.
some people do band aid things. a cooling system may not be up to par, but rather than replace a million things, it can be a good compromise to just run a cooler t-stat. not a perfect world.
theoretically (and otherwise), i agree with you. cool?
stangbear427 said:To answer the thread Q: "Whats the ideal engine temp for a slightly modified 302?" the ideal is 192*, just like a bone stock 302. A 200* t-stat would be too hot any time of year. It may be a good choice if you live in Alaska. All you need is a Motorcraft stock replacement 192* available at any Ford dealer for @$12. That's the temperature it was designed to run at. If you need to use a colder t-stat than stock in order to have good performance, then something is wrong. Ideally, the perfect performance scenario is cold fuel, cold air, and a hot engine. A 195* t-stat would probably be fine, unless you live so far south that you could throw a rock and hit Mexico- but even then you don't need a 180* t-stat to keep from overheating, most people find just using a flex fan or the cop spec fan clutch will keep it in check (again- unless something else is wrong) If you are leaking fluid anywhere, that is bad and needs to be addressed. A coolant leak doesn't have too be too extravagant to cause problems in several areas- including how well your heater works.
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