364 61 nailhead ran better with no stat?

H

hilljack

Guest
I was just wondering if you guy's have noticed your engine runs better without a stat. My engine always ran rock steady, you know only like a nailhead can! A couple years ago when changing the upper rad hose I noticed the previous owner who was a very meticulous mechanic was not running a stat! I thought I should put a 180 in to be safe but noticed the engine was running a little rougher with the stat.

thanks
John

Who knows? It is the original radiator so maybe the restricted flow without a stat maybe worked out perfectly.

Are you guy's all running stats in your nailheads? Just curious if that was an old trick? The stats been in it ever since.
 
I don't know, but engines run cooler with the thermostat! You should always run one. I don't see any reason why the thermostat should make it any less or more smooth.
 
Hi, I'm new here becuase I just bought my 57 Super about a month and a half ago and I actually just replaced my thermostat last saturday (I say replaced but there wasn't one in there at all). I have an aftermarket radiator with a coolant return and everything and I have noticed that with the thermostat in, I have been dieseling out more than I had previously. But I think that it's becuase that without the thermostat, my nailhead was always running cold and now with the thermostat it's actually getting about 1/3 the way up the gauge.
My suggestion would be to add a little extra led to your tank next time you fill up and see if that does it.
-Tom Jose
 
I know it's support to run cooler with the stat! It just to seemed to run better without one and the previous owner was a real Buick mechanic from the time. This engine runs so smooth and smoother without the stat, I thought others might be doing the same.

It could possibly be an old mechanics trick on clogged systems to help them run better? It is the original radiator.

It runs smoother when it's cold than when it warms up. I'll probably flush the system and put a new rad in this summer with stat and put a gauge on it.

john
 
hilljack,
have you checked idle mixture and timing?
idl.e mixture will cause poor idle condition

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Sean Etson
64 special 300 pwr 12.72@105
64 skylark all original servivor
49 super modei 51
 
hilljack, You should always use a thermostat on any engine, if you don't want to you need to use a restrictor in the housing so that the flow will increase, this is how the anti-freeze cools down after going through the engine. I would take the radiator out and have it redone, and flush the block out too...Hope this helps...stove
 
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