Thermostats.....

[drof]

I am setting up a Ford 302 as a raw water cooled engine and I am not sure if I need to install a marine thermostat housing, one which always sends water to the exhaust and can circulate water in the engine until it heats up then opens and sends it to the exhaust.

Is a thermostat just an other thing to get blocked?
By limiting the flow of water from the pump can you control the temp of the engine adequately?
What do you have set up and how well does it work?

Thanks. Peter.

[Bob Vic]

I have a thermostat set up in both Rebound and Turbo Fire. Both have performed flawlessly and have controlled the engine temperature very well. When I first ran Rebound there was no thermostat, just a flow of water through the engine which was okay to a point - it didn't overheat but then again it never really got to the correct operating temperature either. I physically remove the thermostat from the housing and test it in boiling water before the start of each season. They can seize up when left dry - I have had one do this to me in Rebound when I checked it prior to Narrandera one year. The thermostat housings are available from Rolco - here is a flow diagram from Rex Marine in the US who also produce a similar product. http://shopping.rexmar.com/Merchant2/me ... moplumbing

Bob

[drof]

Thanks for that, I am trying to get the installation as right as possible the first time. I have set up raw water cooled small diesel engines, with out thermostats, and large diesel marine engines with heat exchangers but this installation is a bit different.

Peter.