Where I live its usually in the 80s-90s most of the year during the daytime, so I was wondering if a 180 degree thermostat would be best I have heard some bad things about the 160 degree ones (running to cool in the combustion chamber especially for chip/prom burns), currently I have the stock 195 degree thermostat but that aint gunna cut it in this heat! Any suggestions??

 

Why wont it cut it in the heat?

You can get a 180 from any local parts store.

 

I run a 180 in a colder climate than you and don't have any problems with it.

 

It wont cut it for me because when I'm in traffic it goes over 220 unless I invest in a 2 fan set up or maybe rig the 2nd fan to work manually? On the highway it cools fine at the 1/4 mark or at time a hair below it. I am just concerned for the well being of the motor and don't want to do long term damage from excess heat.

 

The thermostat has nothing to do with you going over 220. The fan switch is your issue.

The stock fan comes on around 230, you can swap to a lower temp switch.

if I remember correctly your car uses a SW500 switch. If you swap to a SW555 it would lower the fan temp to 210.

That being said 220 is the normal operating temp sitting in traffic. There is also a really good chance that your factory gauge is reading high.

 

I bet his gauge is spot on.

Thermostat AND Fan switch are both issues, BOTH are TOO HOT!

195*F is TOO HOT for our climate here. The 350 in my Express van has a 160*F thermostat in it. It had a 195 or 205*F stat stock, I forget which. It runs right around 170*F opposed to 215-220*F stock. The engine is MUCH, MUCH happier running cooler.

 

Curious. Could you maybe just drill some holes in the stock stat? I know stats are cheap, but would that possibly be enough for this situation?

 

It does not matter if he has a 50 degree thermostat. He says it is getting around 220 in traffic. That is because the fan stat does not kick on until about 230 and he is not moving fast enough to cool the system without a fan.

He can get any thermostat he wants but he stated while moving his temp is good, if he is concerned with his temps while idle or moving very slow he needs to change his fan turn on point.

At 220 a 160-195 thermostat will all be at exactly the same mode of operation.

Go to autozone get the 180 that will be no problem. Don't go 160

 

I would go with a 160 or 170*F and a 180*F fan switch

 

I will definitely look in that SW-555 fan switch, Yes I also heard drilling four holes into the Stat will help to avoid hot spots in the engine block, One step at a time I guess, thanks for the input you all

 

Operating temperature vs power and longevity!
http://www.carnut.com/ramblin/_cool3.html

 

John Lingenfelter, Myron Cottrel and many others have stated that a 170 degree is the best all around temp stat. The engines last much longer when you run them cooler. They run them hot to burn up emissions. Makes the federal govt happy. I dont know about all of you but I really care about keeping the federal govt happy.

 

That was the perfect article Gumby it basically hit the nail on the head thanks for the share! abray1 your kidding about the making uncle sam happy RIGHT??

 

I run an 180* thermostat and have two adjustable fans one puller and one pusher. Each on their own circuit with there own controller totally independent of each other and that includes the stock wiring. The puller comes on at 190* and the pusher at 200*.

The car has only gone over those temps a few times in traffic.

If you are running the stock switch in the head than I would install a 180* thermostat.

Then you remove the wire from the switch that's in the head and ground it to the frame. That will make the fan run. OK we are going to fix that by installing a adjustable fan controller. You cut the wire that goes from the fan and is now mounted to the frame.
Then put the controller between the cut wires.

You now have a adjustable fan controller installed in the simplest way possible. And the controller only cost $20.00.
You might have to just punch in the part # in the search box.
They are not vehicle specific .
Here it is =


http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...67187_69565_0_

Part # 733653

Heres a diagram.
If you decide to do this I will tell you how to set the fan temp in a very simple way.

 

Of course I care about keeping uncle sam happy. That is why I got rid of my catalytic converters on all my cars.

 

I can tell ya in mine, I have the stock thermo and no fan running and it never gets over 190 as long as im moving.

aluminum air dam, removed AC rad, only if I sit still for a while at a long drive thru, or bad traffic do I need to turn on the fan.

stock they set up the V6 to run 220+ once over 200 you lose all of the pep it has, keep it under 200 and it runs crisp and responsive, will rev fast and hard to redline and beyond. [ any who ever rode dirt bikes with no tach, knows how to shift be engine feel and it just keeps pullin askin for more RPM]

Why the V6 cars have a bad rep, running at stock temps it does turn into a slug...........

 

Which I call BS on completely. I rebuilt the 3.7 (1/2 of a 460 Ford) in my boat that has a 140*F thermostat and it had practically no bore wear and over 4000 hours on it.

 

Sounds great! Sure I'm down try this out, so how do you set the fan temp, id like to be ready to go when install time comes

 

I live in phx and it gets 120 ish here all summer long, the blacktop gets to almost 200 in the summer heat. (our cars pull off the ground for cooling) I am running A 175 hyperstat high flow. my car runs at about 180ish when its molting hot out I am running a clutch fan

 

I'm going to PM you with some detailed instructions.

I don't think the OP wants me to take over this thread.