Thermostat Question 160 deg. or 195 deg.?
 

Are there any advantages/disadvantages to using a 160 deg. thermostat
versus a 195 deg. thermostat? I have a lot of knock and ping that I
suspect is due to excessive temps in the combustion chamber since my
timing seems dead on. The temp gauge fluctuates between 190 and 210
deg. depending on how fast I'm traveling. Also the clerk said the smog
police would fail me if they saw I was running a cooler thermostat. Do
they care what temp my car runs at? If it matters I have a 1987
Wrangler YJ 258 ci Carter BBD, 5 speed manual. Any input is
appreciated.
Thanks,
Kevin

Thermostat Question 160 deg. or 195 deg.?
 

It needs to warm up above 190 to be sure the inaccurate sensors actually
turn on and switch the computer into 'warmed up' mode. Otherwise the
computer stays in basic 'cold' mode and you burn a lot of gas.

You also will lose internal heat with a cold t-stat in the winter.

Even with no computer still working in my 86 258, I get better mileage
with a hot engine.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Kevin wrote:
>
> Are there any advantages/disadvantages to using a 160 deg. thermostat
> versus a 195 deg. thermostat? I have a lot of knock and ping that I
> suspect is due to excessive temps in the combustion chamber since my
> timing seems dead on. The temp gauge fluctuates between 190 and 210
> deg. depending on how fast I'm traveling. Also the clerk said the smog
> police would fail me if they saw I was running a cooler thermostat. Do
> they care what temp my car runs at? If it matters I have a 1987
> Wrangler YJ 258 ci Carter BBD, 5 speed manual. Any input is
> appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Kevin

Thermostat Question 160 deg. or 195 deg.?
 

You mileage and engine life would go down and your emissions would go up
year round.

In the wintertime your heater will function poorly.

I do not believe that an automobile engine has been commercially built in
the last 30-40 years that was designed for a 160 degree thermostat.

Engine temperatures of 190-210 are normal (that is why 210 is dead center of
the gauge)


"Kevin" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Are there any advantages/disadvantages to using a 160 deg. thermostat
> versus a 195 deg. thermostat? I have a lot of knock and ping that I
> suspect is due to excessive temps in the combustion chamber since my
> timing seems dead on. The temp gauge fluctuates between 190 and 210
> deg. depending on how fast I'm traveling. Also the clerk said the smog
> police would fail me if they saw I was running a cooler thermostat. Do
> they care what temp my car runs at? If it matters I have a 1987
> Wrangler YJ 258 ci Carter BBD, 5 speed manual. Any input is
> appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Kevin
>

Thermostat Question 160 deg. or 195 deg.?
 

Also the cooler thermostat will not allow the water vapor in your oil to
evaporate, and this will promote sludge and acid formation. The main
advantage to the 160º thermostats that I have seen, is that they have a
larger diameter water passage and therefore, I suppose, allow higher flow
for rock crawling with a big engine, which you do not have.

Knock and ping can be due to too low octane fuel, or the timing mark on your
harmonic balancer having slipped. Putting in a cooler thermostat isn't
going to fix that. Check TDC with a dial gauge or something before being so
sure that your timing is "dead on".

Earle

"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
...
> It needs to warm up above 190 to be sure the inaccurate sensors actually
> turn on and switch the computer into 'warmed up' mode. Otherwise the
> computer stays in basic 'cold' mode and you burn a lot of gas.
>
> You also will lose internal heat with a cold t-stat in the winter.
>
> Even with no computer still working in my 86 258, I get better mileage
> with a hot engine.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>
> Kevin wrote:
> >
> > Are there any advantages/disadvantages to using a 160 deg. thermostat
> > versus a 195 deg. thermostat? I have a lot of knock and ping that I
> > suspect is due to excessive temps in the combustion chamber since my
> > timing seems dead on. The temp gauge fluctuates between 190 and 210
> > deg. depending on how fast I'm traveling. Also the clerk said the smog
> > police would fail me if they saw I was running a cooler thermostat. Do
> > they care what temp my car runs at? If it matters I have a 1987
> > Wrangler YJ 258 ci Carter BBD, 5 speed manual. Any input is
> > appreciated.
> > Thanks,
> > Kevin

Thermostat Question 160 deg. or 195 deg.?
 

Hi Kevin,
Your radiator is too small to actually maintain 160 degrees like an
old pickup, but if it could it would cause an unbelievable cylinder bore
taper.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

Kevin wrote:
>
> Are there any advantages/disadvantages to using a 160 deg. thermostat
> versus a 195 deg. thermostat? I have a lot of knock and ping that I
> suspect is due to excessive temps in the combustion chamber since my
> timing seems dead on. The temp gauge fluctuates between 190 and 210
> deg. depending on how fast I'm traveling. Also the clerk said the smog
> police would fail me if they saw I was running a cooler thermostat. Do
> they care what temp my car runs at? If it matters I have a 1987
> Wrangler YJ 258 ci Carter BBD, 5 speed manual. Any input is
> appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Kevin

Thermostat Question 160 deg. or 195 deg.?
 

On Wed, 16 Aug 2006 21:51:58 UTC "Kevin" >
wrote:

> Are there any advantages/disadvantages to using a 160 deg. thermostat
> versus a 195 deg. thermostat? I have a lot of knock and ping that I
> suspect is due to excessive temps in the combustion chamber since my
> timing seems dead on. The temp gauge fluctuates between 190 and 210
> deg. depending on how fast I'm traveling. Also the clerk said the smog
> police would fail me if they saw I was running a cooler thermostat. Do
> they care what temp my car runs at? If it matters I have a 1987
> Wrangler YJ 258 ci Carter BBD, 5 speed manual. Any input is
> appreciated.
> Thanks,

The others have covered the t-stat question pretty well - don't!

As for the ping/knock, it only costs a little time to SLOWLY run a
pint of water through the intake while keeping the engine at a fast
idle. That will blast the carbon buildup off the heads and help with
pre-ingition for hot deposits. As Mike R. says, you could also run a
pint of ATF through it as well - might even work better - but the
humongous smoke cloud that creates is gonna irritate some neighbors.

--
Will Honea

Thermostat Question 160 deg. or 195 deg.?
 

Kevin proclaimed:

> Are there any advantages/disadvantages to using a 160 deg. thermostat
> versus a 195 deg. thermostat? I have a lot of knock and ping that I
> suspect is due to excessive temps in the combustion chamber since my
> timing seems dead on. The temp gauge fluctuates between 190 and 210
> deg. depending on how fast I'm traveling. Also the clerk said the smog
> police would fail me if they saw I was running a cooler thermostat. Do
> they care what temp my car runs at? If it matters I have a 1987
> Wrangler YJ 258 ci Carter BBD, 5 speed manual. Any input is
> appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Kevin
>
If you live in a strict smog state, running a cooler thermostat does
tend to make it harder to pass.

What do you mean by a lot of knock and ping?

Moderate accel or steady state?

Normal range IS 190 to 210 and the engine works better at that range.

I've had mild ping with regular from Chevron, most others seem to work.
Midgrade or a shot of premium cures it.