LUVTruck.com

I put an 82 diesel LUV (Isuzu) engine and tranny (5spd) in a little 35 Ford pickup I'm building. When I worked on the engine I put in a 180 degree thermostat. Now that I'm driving some it seems a little high. Other diesels I have run cooler--what's the recommended thermostat for these guys? Many thanks.

_________________
always always lots of work to do. . .

I had a 180 degree themostat in my 82 and it always ran too cool. I found myself blocking the front of the radiator in the winter so I wouldn't be cold in the cab.

I finally went to a 190 and that seems just right. I am sure you have thought of this, but, maybe the sending unit does not match up perfectly with the guage your using? Is the radiator in good condition?

BTW, that sounds like an interesting project.

[url]

I had a cold problem too, in Florida!

I picked out a 192 degree thermostat from advance auto. They had it for me in about a week...

Well worth it.

I used to smoke all the time from cold combustion chambers. Now, I make more power, less blow by, less coking/cylinder coating. All around it feels and runs like a new truck. All from the thermostat.

They couldn't find it in the store, but I grabbed the part number from the website and they had it to me in a week....

[I am not allowed to post the URL because I do not have the minimum 5 posts yet.]

Now, if only both of the radiator housing bolts hadn't broken off, and the housing gasket was still available, it wouldn't be held together with file-folder + duct tape gasket and 2 small c-clamps....

Ha!

Before this, the temp gauge would barely lift off of "C" in the summer, and wouldn't even budge in the winter. Now, it moves to the middle of the gage and stays there no matter what I do. My old thermostat (was in it when I bought it) was a 160 degree (crazy people) and had likely failed open judging from the symptoms.