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GTJIM · 09-12-2006

The temperature stamped on a thermostat is the temp at which it starts to open and it is not fully open till the temperature rises another 20 to 25 degrees.
It is instructive to dangle a 'stat in a hot water jug and watch what happens as the temperature rises - a Dairy (milk!) thermometer in there too helps see what happens.
So a 195 'stat starts to open at 195 degrees F but is not fully open till near 220 degrees.
An earlier opening 'stat does not, in itself, lower the running temperature of the motor but just starts the cooling flow though the radiator sooner and keeps the water circulating till a lower temp if the motor does 'run cool'
The "anal retentives" amoung us would run a 195 'stat in winter and a 170/180 'stat in Summer!

09-12-2006	#66 (permalink)
GTJIM 4246 Post Club Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,477 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Thermostats .. The temperature stamped on a thermostat is the temp at which it starts to open and it is not fully open till the temperature rises another 20 to 25 degrees. It is instructive to dangle a 'stat in a hot water jug and watch what happens as the temperature rises - a Dairy (milk!) thermometer in there too helps see what happens. So a 195 'stat starts to open at 195 degrees F but is not fully open till near 220 degrees. An earlier opening 'stat does not, in itself, lower the running temperature of the motor but just starts the cooling flow though the radiator sooner and keeps the water circulating till a lower temp if the motor does 'run cool' The "anal retentives" amoung us would run a 195 'stat in winter and a 170/180 'stat in Summer!