Re: [FWDLK] Overheating part3

["Dave Homstad" <dhomstad@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nick,

Sounds like a thermostat problem to me. You probably had the original, or at least an old thermostat in your car. That is the old style, and they do not make them like that any more. They will flow more coolant for better cooling because of the larger opening, when working properly, than the modern pellet style. A modern style will probably flow enough coolant to do the job. I would stick with a 160 thermostat, unless you plan on cold weather driving.

Thermostats like your old one work by hot water heating the spring, which expands to open the valve. Modern pellet styles expand a solid pellet to open the valve. The old ones have more moving parts than the newer styles so are more prone to sticking with cooling system corrosion.

Good luck extracting the old bolt. You might consider using stainless steel bolts to replace the original ones. Use some heavy grease on the threads also.

Dave Homstad
56 Dodge D500

-----Original Message-----
From:   dirt rider [SMTP:drt-rdr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent:   Friday, July 16, 1999 1:12 PM
To:     L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject:        [FWDLK] Overheating part3

Hello again all. I've finally decided it was time to work on the car. Mainly
cause here in NJ it's 95 and humid and my car runs hot and I can't drive it.
For reference, it's a 56 Savoy with a 6cyl. I took it out on the highway lat
night and the guage ran about 3/4 with it going higher on a long uphill.
Then at the end of the off ramp at idle, it went all the way to hot. I
pulled the termostat out. I've never done it for fear of snapping bolts.
Well, I snapped one flush with the head. I'm not sure if I'm going to ty and
drill it and extract it or put it on the trailer and bring it to someone
with a torch that'll probably extract it for $20.
I pulled the radiator, gonna send it to the shop to be cleaned out. I pulled
the water pump. It's relatively new. I was going to pull the water
distribution tube, but I can't get it out. I yanked on it with a pair of
needle nose vicegrips and it wouldn't move. Any tricks to this. Looking at
what I can see of it, it's clean and it's not rusted up.
anyway back to the thermostat. I've never seen a thermostat like this
before, It's got a big flap on it that is held closed with two springs. So I
am assuming it's might old. It says it's a 160 which I think may be too cool
and if working properly may not let the anitfreeze stay in the radiator long
enough to cool off.

I took the thermostat into the house, put it in a pot of water and turned it
on. I let it go all the way to boil and it never opened more than 1/16 of an
inch. Does the hot water open a thermostat, or is it pressure that the water
build up in the closed system that opens the thermostat. I though it was
heat. If that is true, the this thermostat is shot. What temp should I
replace it with. Can it be replaced with a new style one ? If this stat does
stay closed, the radiator and distribution tube are probably ok. I'll still
send the radiator out, but I may leave the water distribution tube alone.

Thanks for the help, Nick