I have 440s on my boat and performing maintenance on the coolingsystem. I want to replace the thermostat while I have system drained and apart. However, for whatever reason I am having trouble finding a 160 degree thermostat for a big block. The thermostat that was in there was something the past mechanic put in but the engine always ran a little warmer than the other engine.

Any recommendations on where to go? I'm afraid if I go to my local parts shop, I will get a less knowledgeable person and be back at square one.
Part number ?

Thanks!

 

As long as it's the same as for a car,here's one from autozone:http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...9_0_1640_93208

 

Personnally I would run a 180 degree one in your boat...your engine performance will be better.

 

Funny you mention that! I couldn't decide between a 160 or 180 for my cuda,so I split the difference and found a 170! And the car last weekend ran it's fastest time ever @ 11.84 @ 111.65.......just saying....

john

 

Get a 180 and drill 2 small holes in it.

 

Why the 180? At cruise, my temp is 175ish with a 160 thermostat and if I kick it up, the temps increase somewhat. Will a 180 make me too hot with the other info? Thanks

 

Bushwood,tell us more about the boat.Are there water pumps in the outdrives like the smaller boats? Where are the temp senders on the engines? Any pics?

john

 

Salt water is pumped in via a pump mounted on the engine. That water then circulates around the antifreeze in a heat exchanger, pulling the heat away and is then discharged overboard. That is what's called a fresh water cooled system. Yes, temp senders are on the engines. I'm only pulling the thermostat because like I said, I would like to start with fresh components while I have the system broken apart.

Thanks

 

Salt water is nasty stuff. Do you ever flush out the heat exchanger with cleaner or water? I bet that boat sounds awesome under wide open throttle!

good luck,john

 

If you like 160 degrees then get this high flow one for $13.95, they also come in 180 degrees.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MIL-16405/?rtype=10

 

Thanks for the replys. I am getting one from Summit. For whatever reason, I drew a blank on Summit. I'm hoping the wrong thermostat was in there due to the little extra effort it took me to find a BB thermostat. I bet there was a small block one in there, causing it to run a little warmer than my manuals say it should. My engines should be consistently at 170 (in theory) whether I kick it up or not.

Thanks again.

 

If you check the application data a small and big block motor is the same size.