Thermostat recomendation?

[prplcar]

I will be changing the rad hoses on my 440 this spring and was wondering if there is a preferred temperature thermostat to use. I have no heater in the car but have been told temp can affect fuel consumption as well as power output. I think it has a 185 in it now as that is where it seems to settle while driving, it will reach 200 on hot days in stop and go traffic. Any help is welcome, thanks.

 

[MoparMitch]

I think you will find that 180-185 deg is sufficient. 190-195 is usually too hot. And if you use a 160, it doesn't allow the coolant to stay in the radiator long enough to do the job of cooling the engine.

 

[Cranky]

I agree with 68 and if it does run very much cooler than 180, your oil won't do the job it's designed to do and cooler running engines generally wear faster.

 

[terzmo]

people love the 180 stat...I've been using a 160 for 45 years in old iron. They will heat up to normal range if the system is working as designed but the 160 opens sooner and the car has the opportunity to run cooler. Heat is an enemy of old iron engines. Experimenting with a good system and a 180 stat made me go back to the 160. IF 180 to 195 down the road or in traffic makes you feel comfortable...run the 180...mine runs at 165 to 170 at highway speed on hot days.....hardly ever goes over 190 in traffic on hot days...90 plus

 

[Cranky]

Well, I got a couple of years on ya lol but I don't see what the difference is in older cast iron and newer. Generally, the cast iron that Mopars were made with is better than the stuff that Ford and Chevy used. Chevy was usually soft and Ford was full of hard spots. If you've ever done any machining on the Big 3's engines, you will notice the difference right away. Also, my small block Fords seemed to run better with 160 stats (faster at the track running colder) but my Mopars ran better with 180. And during the winter months, I ran a 195 in them.

 

[Car Nut]

180 here with no problems. :headbang:

 

[Dennis H]

180 Stant Superstat.

 

[themechanic]

180 Stant Superstat.

X2

 

[Mebsuta]

I just went back to a 180 after using a 160 for a lot of years in 383 RR. Mine had been running so cool that the temperature gauge would never get past the letter C on the left with the 160. Now with the 180 I can see it rise a little bit. It used to run hot, and after doing stuff over the years, it got to where it ran too cold.