Hey guys! Reciently got an 82 FB and after driving it for a while i've noticed that after it "warms up" the thermostat never goes above 1/4th of the gague.. no matter what...

I know the fan is attached to the engine and that helps in cooling a lot... but im begining to think that my thermostat has been disconnected... is there any way i could tell? i've honestly got no idea what to look for...

Thanks!
-TOFUDRIFTER

 

Only time my stock in-dash water temp gauge ever rises above the quarter-scale area (or even lower) is if I'm stuck in traffic for hours on a 100*-plus day, and even then I never cross half. My aftermarket oil-temp gauge shows a consistent below 170 temp unless I'm really beating on the old girl.

I did get well into the upper half during a canyon cruise earlier in the summer, but this was running full-grunt up steep grades for long periods.

Your cooling system might just be working properly.

Only two ways I know of to check if you have a thermostat installed:
1) open up the top water pump neck connection and look for it, which makes a mess.
2) from a dead-cold start, open the rad cap and see if you have rapid circulation of coolant taking place. Coolant can only circulate rapidly through the rad in a dead-cold car if the t-stat is either missing, or stuck open.

 

^What he said, you're more than likely fine as that is the normal spot for the temp to be on the stock 83 and earlier gauges.

 

Working as designed. Go fix something thats broken now.

 

same here mine reads at about 1/4 maybe 1/3 but that is abusing the car on a 115 degree Vegas day ... not smart I know

 

haha thats friggin crazy.. i've always read rotaries overheat all the time... but dayum.. thats a good coolant system XD
Thanks!
i do have to fix my lack of an A/C compressor... and that annoying "buzzer" thats supposed to go off when i over-rev dosent go off... maybe thats a good thing, but i want it fixed anyway..

 

Good enough for a Turbo Rotary, that's for sure..

 

so where exactly on the gauge is where its starting to get too hot?

 

Once its gets near halfway keep a close eye on it. Above that shut it off to be safe.

Nothing wrong with your cooling i'd say. Even with 100+ degree temps i'm only at 1/4 -1/3 on the guage with a turbo in the bay

 

Mines never gone above like.. 1/5th on a really bad day it hits 1/4th...
mmm a turbo... haha XD

 

The "official" overheat line is the top inside hash-mark, but I'd never let mine get there before finding out whats wrong.

Rotaries (leastwise, the ones with FMOC's) cool just fine so long as they are maintained properly.

 

Fmoc?

 

Front mount oil cooler=FMOC

 

ah, thanks!