To my way of thinking, a 160 thermostat makes no sense at all. The car
isn't going to run that cold under any normal conditions, so it'll be
open all the time anyway. Might as well not have one. If it did run that
cold by some fluke, it would actually contribute to inefficient
combustion (too low an operating temperature). So you were right with the
180.
For reference, my 66 B runs dead on 190 (according to the gauge, FWIW),
unless idling motionless on a hot day (200-210+) or driving home from
Giants night games (150-170, kinda makes the heater useless).
Glad you got out of that "sticky wicket" OK. Watch out for the open carb
throats as well...
Michael Graziano had this to say:
>Hey all. Just a quick question, and a quick story.....
>
>1. WHat's the difference between a 160 degree and a 180 degree thermostat
>besides 20 degrees? i.e. which should be used when? And when I went to
>change mine, I found that the DPO didn't have one installed. Is this
>indicative of overheating problems?
>
>2. The quick story. Spent the weekend working on the car, getting ready
>for Moss' Britfest. I decided that the valve cover should be painted. So i
>take it off, and paint it. WHile it's drying, I decide to use the time and
>get some other things done. To make a long story short, I finally got
>around to putting in the 180 degree thermostat i bought (only one the store
>had). Open the spot where it goes and .... whoosh antifreeze spills right
>down the #1 valve connecting rod (I think that's the term). Now what, I
>rush to put the thermostat in and get the water out, when I drop the lock
>washer for the thermostat housing. Plink, right into the hole where the
>connecting rod goes. Now what the hell was I to do. An hour later, and a
>long #12 solid copper wire with a little hook on it with the help of a
>mityvac to get the antifreeze out, and I was saved from removing my first
>head. Folks, it just doesn't pay to screw around doing anything else with
>that valve cover off. Lesson learned.
>
>Michael
>
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
Runs great,
looks particularly bad since some SUV clown backed into it.
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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