The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hello:

When on November 14 I was sowing with my Ebro 48 and the old green seed drill, I saw that the gauge of temperature was not rising of the minimal temperature: then I suspected that to the engine E1A they had taken the thermostat from him. This morning I have put a thermostat: only a key of 1/2 is needed inches and ten minutes of work.

According to the instructions of my Spaniard Lanz (yellow wheels), a cold engine gets worn ten times more rapid than an engine working to his correct temperature.

Greetings: David.

I am sure you are right. I do not personally have scientific proof but it is well documented. I have an old perkins engine in an excavator that runs unevenly when cold and smokes. The more quickly it is put to work the better.

The proof is the fact that a thermostat is needed in the first place. That ensures optimum operating temperature. No thermostat or 'stat stuck open, and the water runs cool.

I'm checking mine when I replace the water hoses.

I thought I would revive this thread because there's a very important detail to keep in mind: the thermostat must be the right kind. If the thermostat lacks bypass control in an engine that needs it there will be a tendency to run hot and even overheat. This also means that the opening temperature must be correct, as otherwise the engine will not run at the correct temperature. For all Major's this temperature should be between 176ºF and 187ºF, to get a running temp between 180ºF and 195ºF. Any Major with a Mk2 or later head including all Ebro made engines must have the shrouded type thermostat or the bypass control will be non existent. This is particularly important in hot climates with a 5 fins per inch radiator and a two blade 15" fan, exactly what Ebro used on nearly all their tractors (the 160's had a 17" two blade fan), with the incorrect non shrouded thermostat. A reliable and accurate temp gauge is of coure essential for this, and the Ebro ones really leave a lot to be desired. The AC ones Ford used were very good, so it's definitely worth making sure they're ok.
So next time you get a thermostat make sure it's the correct type.
Sandy

Shrouded stats are hard to find but new old stock AC ones turn up on ebay. As stated they block off the bypass port. In the UK unless working hard on a hot day you're unlikely to notice any issues if you cant find a shrouded one but it's worth making the effort to have it right.
Running with no stat at all is not good but something I've seen on many occasions. The engine will not run efficiently and one of the effects is more rapid wear as stated. It also means the coolant doesn't circulate round the block correctly and I've seen many cases where the head gasket has blown on number 4 due to localised overheating.

Many years ago when I was a member of the Triumph Car Club of West Australia we conducted a workshop with a top class coolant specialist. Part of the research was to find the difference in temps with and without thermostats plus one other state -- re-useing a dodgy one. and paying particular attention to the last comment by Roadless. All the comments stated here are valid; but consider this. When a thermostat is opened the orifice through which the water is pumped is about a third of the total diameter of the thermostat housing. Without the flange part of the stat the water pressure drops considerably and as stated often does not have the power to reach the fathest cylinder. Our tests showed that removing the wax stat or bellows and fitting the flange only permitted the water pressure to circulate to the farthest cylinder.

Good set of tests Pavel, but no good to use the flange only unless the radiator cooling capacity is fully used, therefore this can only be used in very high ambient temperatures.
Sandy