Thermostat

[Not Happy Jan]

After a very long time I have got the old girl fired up again. My big thanks to all who have helped me on this forum. Pete Mallaby, Ellis French, Rob AKA Ardiesse, and anyone else I have forgtotten.
Not the same engine ... one I bought as Im going to rebuild ( again) the engine that was in it at a later date.

Trying to tune etc the temp got over 200 deg at idle for not very long. It is a new thermostat .... ill replace it anyway but are there cooler thermostats available??

[Not Happy Jan]

[ardiesse]

Considering how hot it's been over the last few days, you're excused if the temperature got over 200 (F) at idle.  But the boiling point with a 7 psi radiator cap is 226 F (I think), so there's some headroom.

A lumpy cam will tend to make the engine run hotter at idle too.  Make sure your ignition timing is advanced.  Lean idle mixtures won't help either.

I'd suggest using a 160 F/70 C thermostat.  Tridon makes a high-flow-rate thermostat, but I don't know if they come in 160 degrees though.

A late EK or EJ fan might help - coarser pitch blades, with a notch taken out of the trailing edges so not to hit the harmonic balancer.

Radiator core not blocked, I hope?  You may also have to use a three-row radiator core.  And also the 7424869 head gasket.

Rob