longer warm up time... but cooler = more efficient

even though my temp gauge is about 60 degrees off, i am guessing once it reaches the faulty reading, the engine is "up to temp" and that usually doesn't take more than 3 minutes. Yes, in the winter it will take me a little longer, but I think i'd rather have a colder engine in the winter, than an overheating engine in the summer .


-justin

Both a 195 and a 180 will get to about 175F (and you start getting heat at about 120F) at the same time beecause both thermostats are closed intil then. With the ATC on 90F our 90 Bonne with a 180 will roast you out at 0F (have not had below).

Except for about 10F around the opening point, thermostats (at least good ones) are pretty much digital critters.

BTW I have found that running a 180 means the entire engine compartment runs cooler and hoses, belts, batteries, etc all last longer. The computer is happy with anything over 146F.

Does SSEi mean Supercharged Supercharged Injected Injected ?

I had to tap it back in. I think I used a long flathead screw driver to do it. Do it easy tho. The o-ring didn't move at all and there wasn't any slack to it.

If everything is clean (and liquid soap works well as a lubricant if you do not have anti-seize) and smooth, it does not take much force to slide the housing in. I usually just press on the flat opposite the bolt with a long screwdriver while tightening the bolt - should not really take any force at all.

F*rd really likes O-rings, General has always leaned more to gaskets - Pontiac even used a gasket on the sliding (to adjust the belt) oil pump on an OHC-6. Wasn't one of their better ideas.

I've got a little spare time on my hands tonight, so I am going to try the flat screw driver idea again, hopefully that will coax that SOB in there.. if not, i'll take it out again and lather it with soap, and see what happens. I think i'm going to run out of coolant.. loL.

Two more cooling system questions [which I have yet to look up in my FSM, I just wanted your opinion]. My overflow tank is full, yet my radiator is empty, what'* up with that? I want to drain out my ENTIRE cooling system, but the engine petcocks along with the radiator petcocks arn't going to be enough for me. I want to replace the system with dex cool [then when I replace the intake + head gaskets, I will flush it again, and put in more dex-cool, that way I won't have to worry about the cooling system for a while [hopefully]. Can I use water to flush it out. What I mean by this is to open up the radiator petcock, and drain the coolant out, then close the petcock and fill up the system with water, and open up the petcock every so often [30 seconds or so, i'm thinking], and drain out all the water [with the engine running, objections??] until the water comes out clear. Sound okay? I would completely flush the system this weekend, and replace the water immediatly with a 50/50 spit of coolant right away, because I don't need any rusting happening.. I want to steer away from engine problems as much as possible .


-justin

After drining the old coolant I usually pull the thermostat and a lower radiator hose and then apply a garden hose until everything runs clear. This takes considerably more water than one flush and fill.

Once clear the water is turned off and allowed to drain fully. Then I button the system up again and fill with one gallon of antifreeze and the rest distilled water (enough freeze protection for Florida).

Have flushed the heater seperately on one that was near clogged but usually that is not necessary, it washes out with the rest of the system.

well pearl is locked in, so I won't be able to do it tonignt :(. I hate when my mom has to make way in the driveway and pull up 3" from my baby!


-justin

a little update. Here'* what happend. The o ring which seals the housing to the block, which is what I thought was what was leaking. Took the housing off, and noticed the gasket which seals the t-stat to the housing was a little flexed in. So, I took it out, and loaded up the gasket area with some non-hardening [gas, oil, coolant safe] gasket maker. Plus I loaded up the area where the oring that seals the housing to the block with it too [but I still kept the oring]. Put it on, and filled up the radiator with water [no coolant yet, comming tomorrow or sunday]. Crossed my fingers.. and NO LEAK!! . Also fixed my misfire . So, i'm happy. BTW.. the old tstat didn't fit in the housing to tstat gasket either, so it wasn't the wrong tstat


-justin