Not my first rodeo in changing thermostats or cooling systems but Im a little baffled. Car was never reaching operating temps, heater was never hot, always ran cool. All stock engine. I decided the t-stat was likely changed to a 160 so I pulled it. Sure enough, its a 160...Bought the stock 195 for it, now it gets way too hot, but the radiator doesnt get hot. I tried to get the best one the auto parts store had and it was fail-safe 195 degree.
Burped the air out a few times and no help. Engine temps are pegged right on the line but no steam, overheating or boiling over. In fact engine doest seem all that hot but gauge says otherwise. I can touch the radiator hoses, it seems the radiator is just not hot, its all just "warm". Bottom of the radiator hose is not hot at all, top is like I said warm, hot but can easily hold in hand. Fan clutch seems fine and moves a lot of ai but like I said radiator never gets hot.
Here is what ive noticed / tried. New radiator cap. I have a thermal gun and the tstat housing was barely over 190, even though my gauge is pegged. Intake manifold directly behind the t-stat housing is 200 +/-. With engine hot, radiator cap off, I watched and cooland dropped about an inch. Cap back on, let system pressurize. No change. Had wife rev enginewith cap off to see collant flow. It was very minumal, didnt seem to "suck" through the engine like my 69 302 does.
This is what I thinkl it is:
Air still in system, water pump, or bad "new" t-stat.
So my thoughts are its the water pump, But heres the deal, I introduced this issue with the new T-stat, and it sure seems its not opening, or not opening early enough? Would a 180 tstat resolve this?
Anything else I can test to rule it out being the pump or air in the system?
All help appreciated!
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