quote:Originally posted by Art Stephens:
... This is assuming I have a properly functioning standard Cleveland thermostat ...
Art, the Robertshaw IS the standard Cleveland thermostat. It is 100% identicle in every way to the thermostat that Ford installed in these motors when they were manufactured. Because they are identicle, I have always assumed that Robertshaw manufactured the oem thermostat. There is no other thermostat exactly like it. The brass orifice pressed into the block below the thermostat is shaped to mate closely with the cup shaped bottom of the Robertshaw thermostat. So the Robertshaw thermostat is the only thermostat that I can guarantee will make your cooling system work as it was designed to work.
As long as you have good coolant flow & good fans, the car should operate with a steady needle at 180 around town with the Robertshaw thermostat.
All other thermostats will allow too much coolant to recirculate (bypass the radiator). This is most noticeable when slowing down after a long high speed (freeway) drive or in stop & go traffic on a hot day.
cowboy from hell