T-Vet and Owen--- Follow up on 1256 thermostat

Anonymous-0 · Apr 15, 2009

I istalled a new thermostat yesterday. After a half hour of running at least half throttle with the radiator covered I got up to 175 to 180 at head where temp sensor is. Block temp was very similar. Radiator temp was around 115. Does this sound about right? What is the max operating temp that is exceptable when working this thing? I won't get a chance to really work it too hard until I put it on the 15' batwing and get into some really tall brome grass in another month or so. Thanks guys!

Owen Aaland · Apr 15, 2009

I don't know what the ambient temperature was when you did your test but it sounds fine. A thermostat usually does not seal off the coolant completely so some rise in temp at the top of the radiator is to be expected.

I have a C750 Ford with a 391 in it. Unlike the F series truck, this engine has the thermostat mounted in an adapter a little in front of the intake manifold. I once replaced the thermostat with a brand that did not have a bleed hole in it. When the engine was first started every day the coolant temperature would rise until it started to boil and then the thermostat would open and everything would be fine until the engine was left to cool completely. Then the process would be repeated. Without the bleed hole the thermostat, there was no coolant flow around it and it would not get warm enough to open until the steam reached it.

El Toro · Apr 15, 2009

If your thermostat is 180 degrees I would keep a close watch on the temp when pulling it hard when the weather temp gets hotter with the approach of Spring. Hal

bc · Apr 15, 2009

Thing to remember about a tractor is they have a large radiator made for allowing a high coolant flow volume over a large surface area for cooling a tractor all day and night pulling a full load at full rpm at 1 mph (no wind and in a dirt cloud) or even sitting stationary for that matter during the summer when it is over a 100 degrees out. Which is why cardboard in front of the radiator is needed in the winter sometimes. Truck tractors use controlable shutters on their large radiators to help keep the temperature up and allow the engine to run more efficient in cold weather.

Unlike the newer car radiators designed to maintain aluminum blocks at a constant temperature at highway speed along the the use of fans when there isn't enough air going past it to cool it. High temps and wide temperature flucuations are heck on aluminum blocks and heads.

Keith in Iowa · Apr 16, 2009

Baelee,I'm thinking you are good to go.Almost suprised you got it to running temp.Here in NE I it's still cold.I'f you have a temp gauge that reads in degrees keep an eye on it, and then run the hell out of it.Remenber it's a 407 IH motor they're made to PULL.

T-Vet and Owen--- Follow up on 1256 thermostat

Anonymous-0

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Owen Aaland

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El Toro

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bc

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Keith in Iowa

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