Aluminum radiators

The 195 temp is normal these days, but partly for the emission controls to work, and gas mileage. A 180 temp would add a bit more power.......

driveit wrote:Found out that I was wrong it wasn't running at 205 it was 195.  I did see it hit around 200 or so in traffic the other day.

It has a 195 stat in it. I run that in all my rides as we end up in fall its cold up here. Plus I has over heating issues in my 56 chevy running a 160 stat. I radiator guy told me to run a 195 as it was flowing to fast and coolant did not get time to cool down before going back into block.( like running no stat) After I put the 195 in I have never had a over heating problem even with the A/C on in both cars. Drive-its engine and the 56 chevy I just sold.

Just my 2cents. Its your engine now you can do what you want. To me if its not broke don't fix it!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Wally. It seems to be doing fine. I am just to happy with how it is doing I just wanted to make sure I was mistreating it.

Wanted to help clarify a misnomer in this thread regarding thermostats and not meaning to step on any toes.  

Not running a thermostat does not change the time the coolant stays anywhere.  It is a closed balanced system that is pressurized by an increase in temperature and the flow rate of the water pump and the friction losses within the system.

The flow rate is constant as it is a function of the velocity of the coolant and the area (square inches, square centimeters or whatever) of each passage and is controlled by the water pump.

put a gallon through a straw = high velocity
put a gallon through a radiator hose = Lower velocity
either way a gallon gets through in the same amount of time in a closed system, it can't "back up" into itself.

Powerful water pumps keep cars cooler because the heat can be exchanged to the radiator quicker and more times per minute.


If a thermostat is a 180, the car cannot be running at 160.  Temps are measured at various places.   When temps are taken at the radiator, you could get a reading of 170 with a 180 stat, but if you took the temp in the cylinder head near cylinders 6 and 8, you'll likely see 190.  Take it in the water passage in the intake manifold, you'll get something else.

Running a thermostat generally increases the likelihood of a more stable or what is called "laminar" flow and help reduce air pockets.  Too smooth of a flow will create a middle zone of the flow that will not exchange heat as well as the edge of the flow.  The water passages being rough is a good thing as it create more surface area for heat exchange in the heads and block.

I prefer to not run a thermostat in my chevy motors, because it is one more thing to fail, but that is only because each of my cars are race ready and when a thermostat sticks open or shut, you will lose that round and go home early.  My Buick needs to operate at 160+ as it is computer controlled.  it is at the lower limit where the computer can compensate to help with detonation during turbo "activities".

For a street car, what has been said in the posts about proper operating temperature and moisture being removed from the crankcase, etc. is all correct.  Street cars should run a T'stat.  

For the racers out there, without a T-stat, I can enter the burnout box at whatever temp I want (strong electric fans).  Typically 160 on cool days and 170 on hot days (consistency is key and hard to get to 160 sometimes on hot days).  By the time the tree drops, the motor is at 180 (or 190) and then 1/4 mile later, crosses the stripe at 190 (or 200), every time. Almost every BBC makes its best power at 180 to 190 degrees.

Excellent info!

Very well said. That makes perfect sense.