do i need a bra??

mike paulson · Dec 18, 2011

i was running my 300 today and the temp never got over 160 degrees, it is only in the mid 20s here in upstate NY today, should i put on a bra to get my operation temps up?
in the summer i have no problem getter er up to 180 degrees.
im a mechanic and the new IH diesels i work on run at 210 degrees, what is a good operating temp for these older IH gas tractor motors?

LarryT · Dec 18, 2011

check your thermostat. 160 was an option for that engine, It was used in mostly warmer climates. My 1206 is equipped with one and to be honest with the temps down to 10 -15 deg here, I am lucky to get it to stabilize over 150, but then in the summer when it was 115 it ran at about 180 when blowing pulling the 4 bottom 18" plow. Most of the older tractors were engineered to run from 160 - 190. They only had a 160 or 180 thermostat. The new engines are designed to run a lot hotter with higher cooling system pressures.

NEKS · Dec 18, 2011

Can't get my 450 to come off cold (green) and on my third thermostat, Must be installing them wrong.

Allan in NE · Dec 18, 2011

Those old tractors were so "over-built" that it is really hard to get 'em to temp.

Darned neart impossible to overheat too. :>)

Allan

Mark-Mi · Dec 18, 2011

A piece of cardboard in front of the radiator.

Janicholson · Dec 18, 2011

The thermostat housing is cast with a bypass port around the t-stat. It is way too large for proper warmup. I believe it needs to be smaller. a 1/4" hole would restrict flow and assure warmup. I would braze the hole shut, then drill it to 1/4". Choosing a 180 Thermostat that has a nice large flow opening (not necessarily a stock one, even modifying one to fit is OK) would assure full flow. Some of the OEM I have seen are puny in flow (valve) diameter. Jim

pete 23 · Dec 18, 2011

What you need to do if you want that engine to warm up is , take off the whole thermostat housing, stick a water hose in the radiator port and any water that goes through and out any of the other ports is why it won't warm up. Those housings were never great when new but they rust out and the tube on thermostat fits so loose in housing that coolant goes right on by. Also the bypass is so large on a cold day, the thermostat may not even have to open to stay cool. You can plug by pass and drill a small hole like 1/4 in in plug. Then find a way to seal the tube. I have used a large light spring over tube, washer that just fits over tube with out binding, and then a o-ring above that to seal on housing. On the diesel models like Md on up, you can machine a groove in housing for a seal but the gas models don't have enough material from what I have run into. Problem with covering radiator is it puts the fan in a strain if you seal cover too tight and if you don't it still won't warm up.

do i need a bra??

mike paulson

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LarryT

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NEKS

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Allan in NE

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Mark-Mi

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Janicholson

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pete 23

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