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| | | | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 101 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 101 | 53 235 - stock - no air added.
Got the truck running, water was coming from behind water pump. Took off water pump, cleaned, put new gasket with sealer on and bolted up. Does not leak. I'm getting a different noise from that area now when it runs, wondering if the water is circulating. Should I see it moving down in the radiator? I read on one of the old threads about "burping the lines". Since I took the pump off a drained a lot of fluid, then replaced, do I need to do this. Also, if I replace the therostat, what is the one I need temp wise? 160 - 180 - 195?
1946 1/2 ton - 1962 "261"
1953 1/2 ton 5-window - "235"
1955 1/2 ton - 55 "265" Corvette motor
1959 1/2 ton Fleetside - "283"
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,248 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,248 | I would not see where a 180 would hurt anything on it. 16 was more for back when they ran alcohol with water for an antifreeze.
With alcohol if the temperature got above a certain point your alcohol would turn to vapor and leave you without winter protection.
John | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 6,377 Ex Hall Monitor | | Ex Hall Monitor Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 6,377 | I normally don't have a problem with burping the lines. I've read where some will drill a small hole in the thermostat to allow the air to bleed off. I've never done it but since you'll be replacing the thermostat anyway it certainly can't hurt. Spec. doesn't give a set temp but says it's fully open @ just under 180.
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| | | | | Joined: Feb 2014 Posts: 215 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Feb 2014 Posts: 215 | Looking at the specs, that would be a 160 stat. You can add about another 20F to a stat rating to get fully open temp. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 872 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 872 | Your t-stat will not start to open till about 140-160F. So the pump will just recirculate water around the block until it starts to open. Your water temp gauge should tell you when its about to open. Feel the upper radiator hose. If the water temp gauge is 160F and everything is working you will be able to feel the upper hose getting hot.
While it is warming up keep the radiator cap off so you can refill the radiator as the engine reaches temp.
Some new t-stats come with a hole to allow air to escape I usually make one if does not have one. Helps out a lot to purge the system of air.
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