Runs too damn cold

[Krafty]

Hey guys I just worked out some issues with my Radiator and ended up getting a new one, cause the old one blew up on me. When it was overheating I switched to a 80 odd degree thermostat instead of the normal 96 degree one. now that I've got the new rad and the cooler thermostat, my bronco just wont even get into the normal heat range, and now that winter is here in Canada its bloody cold, and its just warm enough to keep the chills out. Is it my thermostat thats being too efficient, or is there some other problem? any ideas

 

[Broncobill78]

Hey guys I just worked out some issues with my Radiator and ended up getting a new one, cause the old one blew up on me. When it was overheating I switched to a 80 odd degree thermostat instead of the normal 96 degree one. now that I've got the new rad and the cooler thermostat, my bronco just wont even get into the normal heat range, and now that winter is here in Canada its bloody cold, and its just warm enough to keep the chills out. Is it my thermostat thats being too efficient, or is there some other problem? any ideas

Tstats usually open up somewhere in the 165*-195* range. Apparently yours is either set to open a lot sooner or just plain stuck open (a piece of debris lodged in there will do it). I'd replace it with another one with a higher tep range, it's a 15 min job. Do you run an electric fan by chance ? Running it too often wll cause your problem. You can always pull the ole' cardboard box trick and block off some of the radiators front surface area with a piece of cardboard to restrict airflow and heat things up a bit, always worked well in New England.

 

[Krafty]

okay thanks, I'll try just getting a new one and make sure I clean out the housing really good, the last one I put in I ended up cracking two thermostat housings cause it kept slipping out of the groove, it was a real pain in the but

 

[Broncobill78]

okay thanks, I'll try just getting a new one and make sure I clean out the housing really good, the last one I put in I ended up cracking two thermostat housings cause it kept slipping out of the groove, it was a real pain in the but

You might have some rust or scale built up in the thermostat recess. If I'm changing an old one once I get the gooseneck off & the Tstat out I like to clean up the recess with a small wire-wheel in the air-drill or knotted wire-cups. A dremel tool will even do the job if need be. Once you're cleaned up & down to good metal I usually smear a thin film of silicone on both edges of the Tstat & the gasket. I'm not talking about a BEAD of silicone, just a smear on the surfaces and not so much that it will displace the Tstat out of the recess but it does help to keep it in place and leak-free. Admittedly the gasket alone usually does a good job of sealing it up tight but I've had them leak occasionally for no good reason when I *didn't* use silicone so now it's just something I like to do. If you do clean out the recess don't forget to do the same to the one on the gooseneck as well.

 

[fx2004j]

ok i have a colling problem also my gauge would never move . now i put a mechenical gauge in and that won't move either can some one help me out here.

 

[Broncobill78]

ok i have a colling problem also my gauge would never move . now i put a mechenical gauge in and that won't move either can some one help me out here.

We need more info. Ok, tyou have a mechanical gauge whick we'll assume is correctly installed but we still need more. mechanical or electrical fan ?Tstat ?

If you have an electric fan the thermostat switch could be bad keeping it on all the time, the tstat could be dead or held open with debris so the engine never warms up especially now that it cold everywhere North of the Mason-Dixon. the mechanical guage should read *something* and if it doesn't I'd check it out, maybe it's plumbed into a dead spot or just a tapped blank that doesn'r penetrate into a water passage.