Use a themostat

Posted by Bob Carabbio on April 15, 1998 at 23:28:20

In Reply to: USINGATHERMOSTAT.......OR NOT?
posted by Ken Smith on April 15, 1998 at 15:30:24

As Bob points out, the presence of a thermostat in working condition does not affect whether the engine overheats.The primary value of a thermostat is that IT MINIMIZES ENGINE WEAR by getting the engine rapidly above the 140 degree level under which the engine experiences MUCH greater wear rates and produces all sorts of garbage that wind up in the oil and don't boil off at low temperatures.
I remember a fellow in Minster Ohio with a VW Beetle.He drove the car 3/4 mile to work, and 3/4 mile home (Minster is ony a mile square). When his oil light came on, and wouldn't go out I found his crankcase was literally full of a oil/water (from condensation) and Gasolene (no the fuel pump wasn't leaking) mix.As soon as it was drained, and re-filled with oil everything was O.K. again, and I suggested that he take the car on longer trips to get things cleaned out.
The 160 degree unit is the right one UNLESS you want heat from a hot-water heater in the winter. THEN you go to a 180 degree unit in the winter and back to a 160 when the warm weather comes.
Bottom line - If you drive your "A" a lot a thermostat will hold the engine together better, and improve the quality of your crankcase contents.
End of sermon -
It seems that the greatest single reasons of overheating in "A"s is related either to blowing the water out due to leakage at the head gasket, or blocked radiator cores that won't pass the pump capacity properly causing water loss out the overflow until circulation stops.
A secondary cause is loss of radiator efficiency due to corrosion building up between the tubes and the fins which insulates the fins and destroys the ability of the radiator to transfer heat to the air. I don't know of any fix for this one other than core replacement.

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