160 thermostat why

[Søren jensen]

Tinkering with my 72 charger i found out it has a 160 degrees thermostat.
I know that it is supposed to be a 180. Will it make any difference if i buy an new 180 thermostat.?
And lastly why would anybody whant to change the raying of the thermostat?

 

[Ranger16]

Will it make any difference if i buy an new 180 thermostat.?

Sure it will. If you are running a 160°, the 180° will bring your temps up to 180° - 190° (where it should be) vs the 160° -170° that your are probably running now.

And lastly why would anybody whant to change the raying of the thermostat?

Some people tend to think the cooler the better.

 

[Red63440]

No it won’t make any difference if you buy a new one, just make sure you get a new gasket too, it will just run a little warmer. Who knows, maybe that’s all they could get, you will be ok. Check all the hoses while you are at it.

 

[Don Frelier]

If it's a factory setup cooler is not better.
It's designed to run around 190 degrees.

 

[Søren jensen]

Its a 318 with 360 heads and a 4 barrel edelbrock carb.
When driving it goes to the colder side off the temp gauge. Nice and consistently. So no issue there.

Also i found a spare thermostat (a 160) in the parts box that came with the car.

 

[MoparLeo]

It might have to do with the local climate. That is the temp that it opens allowing the coolant to flow through the radiator.
https://www.carbibles.com/car-therm...ead to a rapid increase in engine temperature.

 

[72sunroof]

Tinkering with my 72 charger i found out it has a 160 degrees thermostat.
I know that it is supposed to be a 180. Will it make any difference if i buy an new 180 thermostat.?
And lastly why would anybody whant to change the raying of the thermostat?

Because there is a misconception that it makes it run cooler. Well in cold conditions it will, and it will run poor at 160. I run a 195 in Florida with air conditioning and never have overheating. On a 95 degree day it gets warm but when you move the temp falls even with air on. Normally it cycles open and close keeping it at a controlled temperature of 195, a 160 just let's it run away no cycling of water from radiator to block. So when a 160 car hits 200 degrees you are in trouble the water has no chance of staying in the radiator to cool and keeping the temperature in a controlled fashion.

 

[hunt2elk]

Only thing a 160 will do is open quicker than a 180. Once open the motor will run at the temp it wants and what the rest of the cooling system will allow. Probably 180 - 190.

 

[F4R/T]

The only thing it may help with is detonation due to a very aggressive timing curve. I was told by Bob K to run 160 but that is for drag racing in pure stock where you target 40 degrees total timing or a little better if your fuel can handle it. It reduces head temp for drag use. I put 180 in and dialed it back a tad.

 

[Ranger16]

https://www.stant.com/index.php/english/products/consumer-products/thermostats/abcs-thermostats/

ABC's of THERMOSTATS
The thermostat has two important jobs:

• Accelerate engine warm-up: By blocking the circulation of coolant between the engine and radiator until the engine has reached its predetermined temperature

• Regulate the engine's operating temperature: By opening and closing in response to specific changes in coolant temperature to keep the engine's temperature within the desired operating range

How a Thermostat Works

• When the engine is cold, the thermostats is normally closed; restricting flow to the radiator allowing the engine to “warm up”
• As the engine warms, the increase in heat causes the wax to melt and expand, pushing against a piston inside a rubber boot
• This forces the piston outward, opening the thermostat so coolant can start to circulate between the engine and radiator
• As heat increases, the thermostat continues to open until engine cooling requirements are satisfied
• If the temperature of the circulating coolant begins to drop, the wax element contracts; allowing spring tension to close the thermostat, which decreases coolant flow through the radiator

 

[cosgig]

It’s because of the common misconception that a lower temp thermostat causes the car to run at that temperature. Nothing could be further from the truth. As stated above, once the thermostat opens, it’s job is done, it is only to allow the coolant to heat up quicker to get heat to the cab to warm its occupants quicker. It has nothing to do with how hot the engine runs. It’s pretty common knowledge that Mopar cast iron motors run well between 180-195, and we’re designed to run in that temp range. A 195 thermostat will allow the coolant in the motor to heat up to that temp quicker, getting into the comfort range of the motor quicker, once it opens, there may be a small drop in temp, due to the cooler coolant in the radiator, but that is very short lived.

 

[gtx6970]

Only thing a 160 will do is open quicker than a 180. Once open the motor will run at the temp it wants and what the rest of the cooling system will allow. Probably 180 - 190.

Agreed,
I run a 160 Stewart Components in mine. On cooler days the car runs pretty close to the 160- 170 ish range as long as ambient temps are below mid 80s

Once ambient temps get to about the upper 80s or low 90s the car runs in the 180-190 range

I live in southern AZ so a heater is really moot point

 

[cosgig]

Agreed,
I run a 160 Stewart Components in mine. On cooler days the car runs pretty close to the 160- 170 ish range as long as ambient temps are below mid 80s

Once ambient temps get to about the upper 80s or low 90s the car runs in the 180-190 range

I live in southern AZ so a heater is really moot point

In the commonly found 6pak tuning guide, it states to run a 195 thermostat, and 195 only. My car came stock with a 195, so that’s what I run. And, I can’t argue with its performance, or the fact that it stays at 195 all day long!

 

[gtx6970]

In the commonly found 6pak tuning guide, it states to run a 195 thermostat, and 195 only. My car came stock with a 195, so that’s what I run. And, I can’t argue with its performance, or the fact that it stays at 195 all day long!

if my car runs at anything close to 200 for any length of time . it pings pretty good. and thats with timing set at approx 10 base .
It runs a good bit better at 18-19 base but getting quality fuel is my issue

 

[cosgig]

if my car runs at anything close to 200 for any length of time . it pings pretty good. and thats with timing set at approx 10 base .
It runs a good bit better at 18-19 base but getting quality fuel is my issue

I run about a 50/50 mix of Rec fuel, which is 90 octane and no ethanol, and 110 turbo blue, which has lead. It’s the perfect blend for my car!

 

[Dibbons]

Not that it matters, but some classic Mopars came factory equipped with a 185 degree thermostat, which I haven't been able to find in the aftermarket.

 

[Ranger16]

Only thing a 160 will do is open quicker than a 180.

If that where the case, why would they even make a 180, 190 or 200? Why in the world would anyone want to delay the time it takes to warm up. Make no sense at all.

 

[Dibbons]

Who's delaying the warm up time with a thermostat? The thermostat speeds up the warm up time doesn't it? (just regulates the minimum running temperature).

 

[MoparLeo]

Companies make all kinds of things that don't work or make sense. If it sells, they make it. $$$ Just think of how many snake oil items are and have been made for many years that don't make sense. Old wives tales sell. Sense doesn't matter, dollars do. A lot of sheep out there to be fleeced.

 

[gtx6970]

Who's delaying the warm up time with a thermostat? The thermostat speeds up the warm up time doesn't it? (just regulates the minimum running temperature).

Yep