Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) help please with 160 thermostate ##

[RAndrae]

Help guys I cant find the info on the 160 thermostate for a 96. THANKS

 

[Bob4x4]

Your truck calls for a 180 t/stat. I would not want to run a diesel at 160.



Bob

 

[mechanic]

Help guys I cant find the info on the 160 thermostate for a 96. THANKS

It will greatly reduce the engine life if you use a 160 stat. Why would you want to do that? Diesels use heat to burn fuel, the hotter they run, the more power they can make. Of course there are limits, so just stay with the recommended 180 and you should be ok. If you are overheating a 160 will not help in the long run. Cure the causedon't try to go around it. Just my 2 cents worth. PS, the shortened engine life is from a research study done by Continental Engines, they found they could wear a new engine more in 40,000 miles at 150 degrees then 200,000 at 200 degrees. Idon't have the referance manual in front of me now but it was astounding the differance it made.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Mechanic I saw similar numbers on some testing done by General Motors in the 1940s. Ideal temp was around 175-180 as I recall, wear was much greater around 120-140F.



Vaughn

 

[mechanic]

Mechanic I saw similar numbers on some testing done by General Motors in the 1940s. Ideal temp was around 175-180 as I recall, wear was much greater around 120-140F.



Vaughn

Vaughn, thanks for the confirmation. I have not seen that study. The one I have is in a Sealed Power technical manual for machine shops. In the Continential study they used a line graph to show the curve as the temprature increased. The curve when from steep to almost flat at 180 degrees and went flat at 205 degrees F. So it is very close to the one you sighted. This is an area that I did not know prior to seeing that study and I have been a professional mechanic for 32 years. I came into position of that study about 10 years ago. This type information needs to be put out there for owners so they won't make mistakes and damage their engines. Thanks for the feed back.

mechanic>>>David Lapham sr.

 

[RAndrae]

grand jury

Sorry I didnt want to make a federal case out of this. I thought I had seen on a past post of an updated thermostate # that I thought was 160 degree. maybe it was 180 and maybe it was on the 24 valve thread. I have a friend that is having a over heat problem and we cant find the cure we have done the radiator flush, new fan clutch, ect. I just thought there was an undated thermostate #.

 

[mechanic]

160 thermostat

I had a customer last month that was having an overheating problemon a 96 4X4 auto quad cab long bed 2500. He tried the thermostat and made no difference at all. I suggested that he bring it in and let me do the KDP fix and at that time we could check the radiator since it would be out to give better access to the T/C to do the KDP. When I looked down between the rediator and the intercooler, I could not see anything that would cause a problem, however when I got the radiator out, it had about 3/4 of the fin area plugged with mud and lint. But it was about 1/8" below the surface of the fins so it was not visable untill the radiator was removed. It also had a header leak in a lower corner and was the old brass - copper - plastic type of construction. so I and my radiator shop recommended a new aluminum - plastic type unit. The replacement is only $269 at a local radiator outlet. Just thought this might help your friend get to the cause of the heating problem.

 

[MatthewPark]

The best fan clutch in the world won't lock up if there's a blockage right in front of it in the radiator. Make sure your radiator is clean (inside and out).