Fellow Sailors, Hey guys (gals to), Have a question regarding thermostats. My V-32 over heated the last time out ( I am thanking my lucky stars for having insurance with Tow Boat US). I have been inspecting the possible problems. A buddy said it could be a bad thermostat. He recommended I remove it all together, due to living in SW Florida. I did remove it and test it in boiling water (and it did open up). But I was wondering what you guys thought about removing it all together??? Let me thank all of you in advance for your comments and sugestions. Sincerely, Daddy's Dream
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Don't Do It, Tom
It is very important for fast warm-up and long-term health. If you had a cooling issue, check the archives on this site for many commentaries. On your engine, for example, carbon build-up in the nipple leading to the mixing elbow, build-up in the elbow itself, debris in the strainer or in the heat exchanger, lack of or old fresh-water coolant, belt tension, worn or weak impellers, etc. can all be sources of overheating. Tossing the thermostat went out with shade-tree model A mechanics. It only masks another problem. Good luck chasing it down, Tom, and keep up the towing service renewal! Rick D.
It is very important for fast warm-up and long-term health. If you had a cooling issue, check the archives on this site for many commentaries. On your engine, for example, carbon build-up in the nipple leading to the mixing elbow, build-up in the elbow itself, debris in the strainer or in the heat exchanger, lack of or old fresh-water coolant, belt tension, worn or weak impellers, etc. can all be sources of overheating. Tossing the thermostat went out with shade-tree model A mechanics. It only masks another problem. Good luck chasing it down, Tom, and keep up the towing service renewal! Rick D.
Thermostats
I agree with Rick on the many causes of over-heating. No thermostat will cause the engine to run at a far lower temperature than intended, which will tend to develope more sludge which is not good.
I agree with Rick on the many causes of over-heating. No thermostat will cause the engine to run at a far lower temperature than intended, which will tend to develope more sludge which is not good.
There by design.
Tom: It is there by design. You want to keep the engine operating a max efficency so don't mess with it. You know that you can eliminate the thermostat now. Start at the raw water intake and be sure that you have adequate flow from you seacock. Check you hoses to see that they are not collapsing on the suction side of your raw water pump. Check the impeller to be sure that it is in good shape. Change it if it has not been changed even if it is okay. Check the heat exchanger. Be sure that you belt is not slipping. Then check you mixing elbow. You are almost for sure going to find it there if the other points don't pick up the problem. The only other problem is sometimes the exhaust hose sometimes starts to get plugged up and also need replacing.
Tom: It is there by design. You want to keep the engine operating a max efficency so don't mess with it. You know that you can eliminate the thermostat now. Start at the raw water intake and be sure that you have adequate flow from you seacock. Check you hoses to see that they are not collapsing on the suction side of your raw water pump. Check the impeller to be sure that it is in good shape. Change it if it has not been changed even if it is okay. Check the heat exchanger. Be sure that you belt is not slipping. Then check you mixing elbow. You are almost for sure going to find it there if the other points don't pick up the problem. The only other problem is sometimes the exhaust hose sometimes starts to get plugged up and also need replacing.
Test it
Take the thermostat out and put it in a pan of boiling water, see if it opens and then closes when you remove it from the pan. I use a coat hanger. This way you know if the thermostat was the problem. Steve covered all the other potential causes. Fred
Take the thermostat out and put it in a pan of boiling water, see if it opens and then closes when you remove it from the pan. I use a coat hanger. This way you know if the thermostat was the problem. Steve covered all the other potential causes. Fred
I used to think a test was valid, but
one time I tested a car thermostat and it was 'good'. That is it opened and closed when it should. However, it didn't work in my car. The engine ran cold. I replaced it and the problem was fixed. I have chalked this up to one of 'those' things that you can't use logic to test. I agree that the thermostat is probably the least likely to cause the overheat problem. Number one on the hit parade would be the raw water strainer and lines to the pump. I have had a plug in seacock of the intake line of seaweed that allowed only a trickle of water to enter. I used a coat hanger to clean out the seacock. Good luck.
one time I tested a car thermostat and it was 'good'. That is it opened and closed when it should. However, it didn't work in my car. The engine ran cold. I replaced it and the problem was fixed. I have chalked this up to one of 'those' things that you can't use logic to test. I agree that the thermostat is probably the least likely to cause the overheat problem. Number one on the hit parade would be the raw water strainer and lines to the pump. I have had a plug in seacock of the intake line of seaweed that allowed only a trickle of water to enter. I used a coat hanger to clean out the seacock. Good luck.
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